BY MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
For the first time in his 22-year tenure, PSJA North coach Jaime Gongora will roll out a five-guard lineup when the Raiders open District 31-6A action in January. The move came after North found success during the latter part of its non-district schedule, featuring players standing between 5-foot-7 and 5-8.
“I think we’ve found what we needed to do,” he said. “It was just a matter of figuring out the matchups that worked out for us.”
The smaller lineup allows North (12-7) to continue pressuring players the length of the court. To combat the lack of size, the Raiders will rely even more on their shooting with players like Anthony Chavez, who is averaging 12.5 points per game, and fellow juniors Mario Hernandez and Jose Rodriguez.
Hernandez has found his confidence recently, Gongora said, and Rodriguez has established some consistency, grabbing 10 rebounds per game after missing all of last season with a torn ACL.
“Even though they’re skilled, we knew it was going to take us a while to get going,” Gongora said.
Ray Ray Lopez, a three-year starter at point guard, will team with twins Damian and Darren Fuentes as part of the team’s speedy lineup.
After going 3-1 in the PSJA Tri-City Tournament, the Raiders have a two-week layoff before opening district against PSJA Memorial on Jan. 1.
“I don’t like the fact that we hit the Christmas break as we’re playing our best basketball,” Gongora said. “I wish we could’ve kept going, but it is what it is. We’ll just have to regroup.”
MAKING STRIDES
After winning a combined three games the past two seasons, Donna North is enjoying a 6-7 start.
The Chiefs went 1-32 their inaugural season in 2013-14, and won just two games the following year. Now, Donna North finds itself with a deeper roster, led by seniors Agapito Armendaris, Dominic Castillo, Jacob Martinez and Zyrus Samora, running a motion offense with improved ball-handling.
“Now that we’re in Year 3, we’re able to go ahead and put together good quarters, good halves, and it gives us a fighting chance,” coach Jose Armando Perez said. “We just don’t depend on one guy to carry the load. Our team is pretty balanced, and most of the time that’s how we play, moving the ball around, having fun. It’s an exciting team.”
RANKED
Three Valley teams entered the week ranked by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.
Edinburg Vela (18-2), which endured its first loss of the season against a Valley school on Monday, was ranked No. 11 in Class 5A. San Isidro (12-1, 1-0 in District 32-2A) ranked 18th among Class 2A teams.
Brownsville Veterans (17-2) came in No. 22 in Class 6A.