WESLACO — Weslaco East’s 26-point halftime lead was enough in the end.
The Wildcats held off a second-half comeback by Brownsville Lopez to beat the Lobos 53-36 in a District 32-5A girls basketball meeting Friday at Weslaco East High School.
“I thought we started off really well,” Weslaco East’s head coach William Kromer said. “That was something I thought would be key to winning this game. This team can score, they have been putting up 50 points even in losses. We knew they were going to come back.”
| Weslaco East’s Salma Sauceda (11) goes up for a layup against Brownsville Lopez Friday at Weslaco East High School in a District 32-5A meeting. Edward Severn |
Weslaco East’s Salma Sauceda intercepted a pass on one end and finished at the other to put the Wildcats up 49-34 with 2:30 left in the fourth quarter.
Sauceda’s layup received a loud cheer from the crowd, one of appreciation and relief with the Lobos creeping back into the game.
“We lost that third quarter, and it had us nervous big time,” Kromer said. “But we finished. We are able to get the ball out of that little halfcourt trap they threw at us. We have not seen that. There was open seams in it, but we did not find them until the end.”
| Brownsville Lopez’s Judith Rodriguez (3) stares down her defender Friday against Weslaco East in a District 32-5A game. Edward Severn |
Sauceda finished with a game-high 19 points and Clarissa Rodriguez scored 15 points to help lead the Wildcats to their second district win in as many games.
“We are really excited about being 2-0,” Kromer said. “We were an outsider last year, just scraping to survive. To be in the position that we are in right now, I think we are really pleased with what we have done. I think we are a contender for the playoffs.”
The hard work in the months of June, July and August is paying off, Kromer said.
| Weslaco East Clarissa Rodriguez (20) brings the ball up court against Brownsville Lopez in a District 32-5A meeting Friday at Weslaco East High School. Edward Severn |
Lopez was led in scoring by senior center Christy Garcia’s 10 points. Zarela Gamez was second on the team with seven points.
Gamez scored all of her points during the third quarter, when the Lobos picked up 16 points in the quarter to cut the lead to 40-23 going into the fourth quarter.
| Brownsville Lopez’s Sophia Carrizales (23) protects the ball with her dribble Friday at Weslaco East High School in a District 32-5A meeting. Edward Severn |
“We need to play like that for four quarters,” Brownsville Lopez head coach Filiberto Reyna said. “It has been tough to get it for four quarters. I need to get it for four quarters, and if we do that for four quarters I think we beat them.”
Weslaco East was on fire during the first half. Rodriguez hit three 3-pointers and Joanna Gonzales hit two to help provide the Wildcats with the big cushion for the second half.
| Weslaco East Joanna Gonzales (30) shields the ball from the Brownsville Lopez defender Friday at Weslaco East High School. Edward Severn |
Next up for the Wildcats is a trip to Donna North at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The Lobos play host to Brownsville Veterans Memorial at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.