BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | THE MONITOR
MISSION — Senior forward Josh Sanchez had a triple double to lead McAllen Memorial to a win on Friday.
Sanchez racked up 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as the Mustangs (11-3) went on the road to face Sharyland High in non-district action. Memorial won 77-38.
“Non-district games are very important,” Sanchez said. “Especially for us, because we have a lot of football players joining the team. It’s about getting them up to speed. It helps us put ourselves on a realistic scale of where we are when it comes to other teams in the Valley.”
Junior forward Sean Skaugen tied a team-high with 16 points against the Rattlers to provide a huge contribution off the bench.
In football, Skaugen played quarterback, and Sanchez played tight end.
“I used to throw him balls,” Skaugen said. “He was dishing the ball to me a lot tonight. It was kind of reversed. I kind of felt like I was in his place from the football season. He was throwing me the ball. It was good. It was funny.”
Sanchez and senior Ace Chavez joined the basketball team once football season completed. Skaugen, too, has only played in six of the basketball teams’ 14 games due to the football team’s area playoff appearance.
“He played for me last year,” Memorial coach Sam Cortez said. “He was on JV, then he suffered a little injury and was forced to stay out. All summer, he was there in open gym. He brings a big presence. He’s such a great athlete. I put him in there, and he is a game changer. He still doesn’t know all the plays, but when he gets them down, he is going to be good. He compliments Josh very well inside.”
“I feel like I am picking it up well,” Skaugen said. “It has only been like two weeks of practice. The first day, coach Cortez was just kind of throwing all the plays at me, and I was like, ‘Woah, what is this?’ But I have really been trying to learn, and I feel like I have picked up most of the plays. I think I have picked it up very well.”
Sanchez has been trying to help Skaugen. Sanchez has much more experience with the game and the team. He has been playing for Memorial for four years, and he is a team captain.
“(Skaugen) is a big part of our team,” Sanchez said. “He’s helping us a lot inside. He is very strong inside. … I know the coach real well. I know what he wants. I know what he expects from the other kids on the team. The stuff he doesn’t say, I will say it on the court.”
Skaugen is just one of many players on the team who have been helped by Sanchez. On Friday night alone, Sanchez was getting all of his teammates involved with his assists and spacing.
“Josh looks to get everybody involved,” Cortez said. “Josh learned that from his brother. I told him. This reminds me of when your brother was here. When Sean is here, it is like when Jonathan and Josh were together.”
Jonathan Sanchez was a four-year varsity player who graduated in 2016. He and Josh were teammates at Memorial from 2014-16.
The emergence of Skaugen, combined with several other players, has allowed Cortez to mix and match and get a little more depth.
“I don’t shy away from using those guys who have been with me before, because they know the system,” Cortez said. “I want to be able to go 10 deep. Big (Brett) Baus, he started earlier in the season, and he was great. He got a little tired, and we had to rest him. I don’t have to worry, because everyone on this team is ready to play. It’s just about making sure they know how to get the job done when they get out there.”
With Josh Sanchez, a coach gets the best of both worlds. He is a very talented player who can take over a game, but he is also the type of player who makes the players around him better.
“Josh is a great captain,” Skaugen said. “He knows a lot about the game. If you are in the wrong spot, or if you run the play wrong, he will come and tell you that you need to do this or do that. He’s really smart, and he knows all five spots on the floor. So he is a great leader.”