By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
One would have to dig way back to find the last time four Valley schools were competing in the UIL regional semifinals. Every year, Edinburg Vela coach Lalo Rios has noticed, “there’s maybe two or three teams at the most.”
But four?
“I haven’t heard of that in a long time,” Rios said.
The Valley has, indeed, hit that mark as they travel to take on their respective fourth-round opponents tonight. McAllen High (30-7) faces Schertz Clemens (31-4) at UTSA. Vela (30-6) battles Sam Houston (15-13) at the Blossom Athletic Center. Hidalgo (31-5) squares off against Wharton (29-6) at Texas A&M Kingsville. And San Isidro (28-3) takes on Schulenburg (27-7) at New Braunfels High School.
“It’s been awhile since many schools made this far,” Hidalgo coach Gus Sanchez said. “I think our level is picking up. Our skill is getting there to the other schools like San Antonio and the other big schools. And the Valley teams are not backing down. They’ve got confidence in doing what they need to do to win.”
McHi will take on the Clemens, which finished the regular season ranked No. 9 among 6A teams by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches and is known to give teams fits with its full-court, man-to-man pressure.
“They rush you into quick shots or bad shots,” Bulldogs coach Ryan Flores said. “They rely on their speed and quickness and athleticism to wear teams out.”
Flores likened Clemens to Vela, which McHi beat twice this season in non-district and tournament action. Still, Flores acknowledged the uphill battle in facing one of the state’s top schools, saying, “When you’re comparing teams from the Valley to up there, it’s a challenge. We have to adjust to it and hopefully our kids respond well and compete at a high level.”
For its part, Vela is expecting a competitive battle like its second-round matchup against Corpus Christi Miller — an athletic team that is persistent in attacking the basket. Like Miller, Sam Houston has experience in the state tournament, returning four starters that advanced that far into the postseason last year.
In only their third year, the SaberCats don’t have the storied tradition of some of the other teams in the tournament, but they are enjoying a banner year, earning a No. 18 ranking in 5A by the TABC and having broken out of the first round.
“It’s maturity,” Vela coach Lalos Rios said. “I think these guys have matured and understand what it’s like to play in a big game. They understand how important possessions are. At the same time, we’ve gotten a lot of confidence and we know what it could do for you, especially at this level.”
Last week, Hidalgo, ranked No. 19 in 4A, beat No. 18-ranked West Oso to advance to the regional semis for a second consecutive year.
“That’s one of the biggest wins we’ve had here in a while, so we’re coming in with a lot of confidence,” Sanchez said. “It wasn’t just the ranking (of West Oso) but the toughness of the other team and knowing we could hang with basically anyone. West Oso, they’re a powerhouse. We know that. So it was a big confidence-booster for the kids.”
Sanchez compared Wharton’s style of play to Houston Wheatley, which the Pirates lost to in their own tournament 61-50. Still, it served as a morale victory of sorts as they held them below their per-game average of 90 points.
“They’re an uptempo team, so you have to pick your spots,” said Sanchez, who is making his fourth trip to the regional semis (three as a coach, one as a player for Hidalgo). “We could run also, but it’s a different speed. They’ll attack us and we’ll attack them. But at the same time, you can’t run both ways with them. They’re too athletic. You have to pick your spots and your moments.”
Considering the Valley’s track record of advancing this far in the playoffs, Rios believes the talent gap that once separated the teams up north is shrinking.
“I think it’s just more opportunities (that we’re getting now),” he said. “People in the Valley are starting to see to get up to this level, we need more access to tournaments, to gyms, to year-round basketball. That’s how it is in Austin, San Antonio. Basketball is big up there, and I think the Valley is catching on and starting to understand that.
“Basketball isn’t a November through February sport. If you want to get to (the regional level and beyond), you have to play year-round. So we’re excited about the direction about not only this program, but the Valley.”