BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
But during Tuesday’s 42-31 defeat at the hands of Brownsville Veterans Memorial, Weslaco coach Griselda Fino saw an otherwise uptempo team appear to be a step slow.
“I felt like we were asleep the entire time,” Fino said. “My kids just never seemed to snap out of it. It felt like we came out really sluggish, and it feels like we never woke up or picked up the speed of the game.”
Since the Border Bash tournament, the Lady Panthers have a record of 3-3 and are playing at inconsistent levels of intensity. Though Weslaco players fulfilled a promise to become the first team under Fino to beat San Antonio Churchill, such notable wins have been followed by double-digit losses to Laredo Cigarroa and Harlingen High.
“It’s so easy for my kids to step up to the challenge when they feel like they’re playing for something big,” Fino said. “I feel like they step up when it’s time to play for a (tournament) championship, or a non-Valley team. They’re on fire for those games … But we seem to only bring that on certain nights and not others.”
Fino says one reason for the up-and-down play has been the transition for new players still acclimating themselves to the energy required to play at the varsity level. Another reason is the Lady Panthers’ style of play. Given their height disadvantage, players expend as much energy trying to score as they do attempting to get stops.
“I’m just looking for some more consistency,” Fino said. “I want to see my kids get to the point where they’re the same team night in and night out. It’s not going to be easy with district only 10 days away. We don’t have much time to figure things out.”
ON THE MEND
McAllen Rowe has played just eight games thus far, a deliberate attempt by coach Raul Vega to ease volleyball players into basketball shape after a deep postseason run. The Lady Warriors lost four straight before Tuesday’s 44-37 win over Los Fresnos improved their record to .500.
Though such a bumpy start seems troubling for a team pegged as the favorite to repeat as District 30-6A champions, Vega is unfazed and keeps things in perspective.
“If I didn’t have a couple players out right now, and everyone was healthy, I’d be a little concerned,” Vega said. “But for now, we’re right about where I thought we’d be.”
Rowe is missing senior point guard Deanna Spear, who suffered a torn foot tendon in September and is scheduled to return at the beginning of district play Dec. 15.
“We’re going to work her back slowly and not rush anything with Deanna,” Vega said. “The good thing about our schedule is that we have an open date on the second night of district play. So after that first game back, we’ll have a full week to work with her and get her up to speed.”
Even before Spear returns, Vega is already at work meshing another injured player into the roster. Senior Jewel Membrere has been working her way back from a torn ACL that caused her to miss the bulk of her junior season.
“She’s kind of like (teammate) Mayda (Garcia),” Vega said. “She can play the (small forward) or the (power forward), and can play in a couple different ways for us. But we’re taking things slow and trying to get her basketball legs underneath her again.”
THE UNDEFEATED
With district competition less than two weeks away, two Valley teams remain unbeaten against Valley opponents.
Harlingen High is 13-1 with its lone loss coming to San Antonio Clark during the Border Bash. PSJA North is 10-0.