Region IV-6A Semifinal
McALLEN HIGH VS. SCHERTZ CLEMENS
WHERE: UTSA Convocation Center
WHEN: Today, 8 p.m.
RECORDS: McAllen High (30-7); Schertz Clemens (32-4)
GAME NOTES: McAllen High is in the regional tournament for the first time since 2010 and has won nine straight games. … The Bulldogs have accomplished this under a first year head coach in Ryan Flores. … McHi has gotten here with team play. Only one player, Oscar Rangel, averages double-figure scoring. Four players average 6 or more points. … The Bulldogs average 54.6 points and allow just 45.2. … Schertz Clemens is an uptempo team that has scored at least 100 points seven times this season. The Buffaloes average 88.8 points. … Schertz Clemens is ranked No. 9 in the state in Class 6A by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. … Schertz Clemens has three players averaging double-figure scoring, and five averaging at least nine points. It is led by Jalon Gates’ 14.6 points, followed by Cayne Edwards 13.8 and Sam Kearns 10.1. … The Buffaloes have won 14 straight games. They beat San Antonio Clark 66-62 to earn a trip to the regional semifinals.
— Dennis Silva II
Region IV-5A Semifinal
EDINBURG VELA VS. SAN ANTONIO SAM HOUSTON
WHERE: Blossom Athletic Center, San Antonio
WHEN: Today, 6 p.m.
RECORDS: Edinburg Vela (30-6); Sam Houston (15-13)
GAME NOTES: Edinburg Vela cruised through its regional quarterfinal Tuesday against Laredo Martin, earning a 102-48 win. The SaberCats are in the regional tournament for the first time in their short history. … Vela is a relatively young team that has gotten here by playing fast and furious on both ends of the floor. The SaberCats run and gun on offense, scoring 100 or more points four times and averaging 72.7, and press defensively. They sub in waves of five with the idea being to tire opponents late in games. … Vela earned its signature win with its area round playoff win last week over regional power Corpus Christi Miller. … Sophomore guard Ryan Garza leads Vela with 14.5 points per game. Five SaberCats average at least 6.8 points. … The Hurricanes have barely won more than half of their games, but they have come on strong of late. … Sam Houston is under a first-year head coach in Erik Coleman. It started this season with six straight losses and began district play with three straight defeats. But its playoff run has been impressive, with wins over Alamo Heights, Vandegrift and Cedar Park Vista Ridge. … The Hurricanes are led by Robert Christian’s 15.3 points per game. … The Hurricanes average 57.5 points, so they’ll likely look to slow it down against Vela.
— Dennis Silva II
Region IV-4A Semifinal
HIDALGO VS. WHARTON
WHERE: Texas A&M Kingsville University
WHEN: Today, 6 p.m.
RECORDS: Hidalgo (31-5); Wharton (29-6)
GAME NOTES: Hidalgo is in the regional semifinals for the second straight year and for the third time since coach Gus Sanchez took over the program 14 years ago. … The Pirates got here by surviving a nine-point deficit with five minutes to play Tuesday against Corpus Christi West Oso. … The Pirates’ key player is Sanchez’s nephew, senior guard Frankie Sanchez. Sanchez scored 24 points Tuesday and finished the regular season as the Valley’s leading scorer at 22.8 points per game. … But Sanchez doesn’t lack help. Backcourt mate Michael Espinoza is a sound defender and playmaker, and 6-3 Carmelo Reyes is a double-double machine. The trio combined for 47 of Hidalgo’s 60 points against West Oso. … This game pits the No. 19 ranked team in Class 4A in the state in Hidalgo against No. 8 Wharton. … The Tigers, like the Pirates, play uptempo, averaging 67.4 points. … Wharton beat No. 12 state-ranked West Columbia 67-60 on Tuesday to earn a trip to the regional semifinals. The Tigers are in the regional semis for the second straight year.
— Dennis Silva II
Region IV-2A Semifinal
SAN ISIDRO VS. SCHULENBURG
WHERE: New Braunfels Canyon High School
WHEN: Today, 6 p.m.
RECORDS: San Isidro (28-3); Schulenburg (27-7)
GAME NOTES: San Isidro is in the fourth round for the third time in coach Rolando Garza’s 23 years at the helm. … The Tigers are paced by 5-foot-11 senior guard Marcos Garcia’s 18 points per game. Garcia finished the regular season seventh in the Valley in scoring. … Junior 6-1 power forward Luis Garcia averages 11.4 rebounds for San Isidro. He also averaged a Valley-best 6 steals in the regular season. … San Isidro averages 63.8 points and surrenders 37.3. The Tigers have won 14 games in a row. … Schulenburg is led by Tyler Thompson’s 15.3 points per game. The junior also averages a team-high 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 steals. … The Shorthorns have won 18 games in a row. … Schulenburg only allows 43.9 points per game. … It’s the stingy defense of the Shorthorns going up against the hot-shooting Tigers for a trip to the regional finals.
— Dennis Silva II