Brownsville Lopez girls basketball head coach Filiberto Reyna traded in the grind of living in New York City to return to his hometown of Brownsville.
Reyna, a Brownsville Hanna alumnus, received an education in basketball while coaching in two cities synonymous with the sport — Chicago and New York City.
In Chicago, Reyna coached two years at Wendell Smith High School. Once his wife finished her education at the University of Chicago, the Brownsville native relocated to Manhattan while his wife worked in an upper management position for makeup company L’Oreal.
Reyna commuted to Brooklyn, where he was the athletic director and boys basketball head coach for Achievement First High School for seven years. During his final year, Reyna was an assistant coach at ASA Brooklyn College. The Avengers competed in the NJCAA Division I level.
The first-year Lobos head coach decided to come back because of the challenges of having a young family in the city, he said.
“Family first,” Reyna said. “That is something that the Valley taught me.”
| Brownsville Lopez girls basketball head coach Filiberto Reyna gives instructions to his team during a game against Weslaco East on Dec. 19, 2022 at Weslaco East High School. |
The most important thing Reyna wants to share from his past experience is knowledge of the game, he said, as he rattled off defensive sets that counter offensive concepts, then how to counter that.
“Those are just basic fundamentals even middle school kids should know,” he said.
The Lobos missed out on the playoffs last season with a fifth-place finish under former head coach Ray Montes. Now teaching and coaching in Houston, Montes helped the Lobos to their best season since 2010-11, the last time Brownsville Lopez made the playoffs.
Reyna inherited talented and athletic seniors. Guards Kassandra Aguirre, Judith Rodriguez, Amber Solis and center Christy Garcia have been key this season. Reyna also has plenty of returners next season.
“(Reyna) is a great coach,” Garcia said about him earlier in the season. “Different what I have experienced in my high school years. I do see ourselves making the playoffs.”
| Brownsville Lopez girls basketball head coach Filiberto Reyna talks with Lizette Noyola (11), Amber Solis (13), Judith Rodriguez (3) and Christy Garcia (20) during a break in play against Weslaco East on Dec. 19, 2022 at Weslaco East High School. |
With only four games remaining in district, the Lobos (15-14, 9-5) are going to need their experienced coach, returning upperclassmen and talented underclassmen against Edcouch-Elsa at 6 p.m. Friday at Brownsville Lopez High School.
The race is extremely tight for the last three playoff spots in District 32-5A, and even more important, so is the race for the second seed to avoid District 31-5A’s Edinburg Vela. McAllen Rowe hung in there against Edinburg Vela on Tuesday night, and is likely to be the No. 2 after breezing past everyone else in the district.
Seeds 3 and 4 have yet to be decided in District 31-5A, and Seeds 2 through 4 in District 32-5A hang in the balance. Brownsville Veterans Memorial has yet to drop a game in District 32-5A and can clinch the title outright Friday.
Weslaco East (10-4), Harlingen South (10-4), Brownsville Lopez (9-5), Mercedes (9-5) and Edcouch-Elsa (8-6) will battle during the next two weeks for three remaining spots.
| Harlingen South’s Jiselle Montemayor is averaging 11.4 points per game this season for the Hawks. Edward Severn |
The Hawks take on Brownsville Porter at 6 p.m. Friday at Harlingen South High School. Harlingen South also hosts Brownsville Lopez the following Tuesday at 6 p.m. — the Hawks won the first meeting 31-21.
Harlingen South then takes on a tough Donna High team that is coming off a win against Mercedes, and finishes the season at Weslaco East. The Wildcats defeated the Hawks 33-31 in the first meeting.
| Harlingen South’s Enily Renteria is a lethal outside shooter this season with 30 made 3-pointers for the Hawks. Edward Severn |
Weslaco East faces Mercedes at 6 p.m. Friday at Weslaco East High School. The Wildcats then have Brownsville Pace and Edcouch-Elsa before the showdown with the Hawks. No easy game to finish off the season for Weslaco East.
Mercedes faces Brownsville Veterans Memorial, Donna North and then Brownsville Pace after Weslaco East to finish the season. Edcouch-Elsa has the toughest remaining schedule of the four teams, with Brownsville Lopez, Weslaco East, Donna High and Brownsville Veterans Memorial.
| Mercedes’ Leah Adame (5) tries to score past Lopez’s Christy Garcia (20) Friday, Dec. 16, 2022, during the game between Lopez vs. Mercedes at Mercedes. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
Reyna and the Lobos finish the season against Brownsville Porter and Donna North, two teams at the bottom of the district.
Win, and you are in.