MISSION — Edinburg High’s Kimora Fagan didn’t know what to expect when she stepped onto the hardwood Friday night.
The junior guard didn’t feel 100% going into the game and had struggled from beyond the arc recently. After back-to-back 3-pointers during the first half, Fagan’s questions disappeared.
Beaming with confidence, Fagan continued to let it fly, finishing with a game-high 29 points behind five made 3-pointers to lead the Bobcats to a dominating 70-45 victory over Mission High during their district opener at the Mission High Gym.
“Honestly, I didn’t think I was going to hit these many 3s,” Fagan said. “I had been struggling, but after making those first two I felt it was going to be an easy game. My teammates just gave me the ball and kept feeding me when I was hot. I do the same for them when they’re hot. It’s a very important win. It’s that first district win to get a streak going early.”
Fagan’s offensive outburst comes as no surprise, leading the team in scoring this season with 17.7 points per contest, an uptick of nearly five points from last year.
She makes up one-third of the Bobcats’ Big 3, joined by fellow juniors Emily Carranco and Madison Martinez. Carranco and Martinez rank second and third on the team in points per game, averaging 14.4 and 12.0, respectively.
The trio flexed its muscles during the third to put the game on ice, combining for 13 of the team’s 15 points during a 15-2 run to close out the quarter. Martinez finished with 11 points, and Carranco added 10.
Mission High’s Justice Cardenas led the Eagles with 19 points, and Bella Rivera added 15 points.
“They share the ball very well,” Edinburg High head coach JD Salinas said. “They’ve been playing ball together since they were little kids. I actually have a picture in my office from when they were in, like, fifth or sixth grade. They’re a good group and get along very well. Sometimes it’s going to be Kimora, and another day it may be Madison or Emily.”
The Bobcats (20-7, 1-0) continue district play on the road against the Edinburg Economedes Jaguars (16-7, 1-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Edinburg Economedes Gym. The Eagles (7-11, 0-1) take on the Edinburg North Cougars (12-10, 1-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Edinburg North Gym.
