FALFURRIAS — After exchanging runs in the first half with Gregory-Portland, Edinburg Vela’s experience showed in the second half as they grabbed a double-digit lead that they would not relinquish to pick up a 58-47 win and a Class 5A area title.
Edinburg Vela’s JaNai Coleman finished with a game-high 27 points, GG Betancourt added 14 and Ava Tovar put up nine points to help lead the SaberCats offensively Friday night in Falfurrias.
“We have been here before and that is what we talked about at halftime,” SaberCats head coach Lottie Zarate said. “In the first half I felt like we were rushing a lot of things and I told the girls, we have been here before use your experience and do what you need to do to keep your composure.”
The SaberCats never stopped swinging in the second half, scoring 16 in the third and 20 in the fourth.
Betancourt was sensational running the court making passes and hitting important shots especially after Gregory-Portland might look like they could gain momentum with a crowd pleasing bucket, Betancourt and especially Coleman responded.
Betancourt told her team in a huddle while up 12 in the fourth to expect a team coming at them with nothing to lose and to be ready for them turn it up physically.
The Wildcats did.
It was a very physical game, all game. Players from both teams put their bodies on the line on a solid amount of possessions, whether it was for loose balls, or knowing contact is coming while driving in the lane.
“We prepared for it,” Betancourt said. “We have been here before, our experience had a lot to do with it.”
Coleman was one of those players that took a few hits to the body, and was even in a little foul trouble in the first half after coming out with a nine-point first quarter.
“It was very physical, normal from what we play in district, but I really liked it – I thought it brought out a lot of good competition for us,” Coleman said.
The senior baller is easily one of the best in the Valley at creating her own space for a shot, and she did while receiving special defensive treatment.
Coleman hit a nasty step back to put the SaberCats up 47-34, that was not quite the dagger, but was a punch to the gut.
“I have been practicing and I have been feeling on lately, so I am pretty happy with what I have done,” Coleman said.
Betancourt and Coleman had terrific out put statistically, but key role players stepped immensely.
Tovar, Savanah Rivera and Laura Guizar combined for 12 points in the second half and also helped balance things out on the boards after the SaberCats dealt with stretches in the first half where they were outrebounded.
The SaberCats won the area championship last season at Falfurrias High School also, but against Flour Bluff – their third round opponent either Monday or Tuesday in a location to be determined.
Flour Bluff 48, McAllen Rowe 33
Maybe it was the rainy wet weather or the 6 p.m. start time that caused fans to miss out on an area championship game, but it was a spotty atmosphere for the early game of the doubleheader at Falfurrias High School gym.
The Warriors could not get going early, and found themselves down 23-5 to one of the best teams in the region before the gym finally started to settle in a bit.
McAllen Rowe went down swinging though and closed the gap to 40-31. Rowe’s Valentina Saldivar and Alyssa Cantu combined for four 3-pointers in the second half to put the Warriors back in the game.
Cantu finished with 16 points and Saldivar had 11.
Nine points is as close as the Warriors would get to the Hornets. Flour Bluff like Edinburg Vela showed its experience late to set up a rematch between two of South Texas’ best programs.
Flour Bluff was led in scoring by junior Maggie Croft, she had a game-high 24 points – nine coming in the opening quarter and junior guard Justine Aguilar had 10 points.
