By EDWARD SEVERN, Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — The Harlingen High Cardinals did it again with another late district comeback, this time beating the Los Fresnos Falcons 52-51 courtesy of an Evan Vasquez buzzer-beater.
With only 2.3 seconds left, the Cardinals (13-8, 3-0) found themselves in position to steal the game at home. At first it looked like no one was going to get open on the inbounds play, but Vasquez slipped his marker under the rim to finish and send the crowd into a frenzy.
“I am so happy for the guys, the coaches and the fans,” Harlingen High coach Clayton Cretors said. “Being able to win at home against a very tough and well-coached Los Fresnos team is amazing. It was a very hard-fought win. They have shown so much resolve, did not quit and this what we always preach.”
Said Vasquez, “I am feeling ecstatic, my heart was racing the entire time. When we drew that play up, I knew it was coming to me and I knew I had to finish it for the team.”
The Cardinals got off to a quick start with a couple of 3-pointers by Ryan Sanchez to give his team a 11-3 lead.
Roger Capetillo got the Falcons (11-8, 0-3) back in it with three great drives to the basket, and JJ Salazar helped the Falcons take the lead in the second quarter with some pullup jumpers.
Los Fresnos went into the half up 25-22.
The Cardinals again started a half hot with Vasquez and Ian Solis scoring buckets down low. Another deep Sanchez 3-pointer put the Cards up 29-25 a couple of minutes in the second half.
Again, the Falcons recaptured the lead. Salazar was aided by Edsson Picazo, Luis Ramirez and Darius Garcia in the third as they took a 38-34 lead into the fourth quarter.
Harlingen High’s Johnathan Salinas tied the game early in the frame with a big 3, but baskets from Salazar, Garcia and Picazo gave the Falcons their biggest lead of the night, 47-40, with only a few minutes left.
A couple of big 3-pointers by Sanchez and Salinas put the Cards in position for the buzzer-beating opportunity.
“Those shots were very important, we were down by seven,” Salinas said. “I knew I had to do something to keep us in the game, and those shots really helped us out.”