EDINBURG — Edinburg Vela senior forward Axel Garza was the focal point of an outstanding SaberCats squad that won the District 31-5A championship with an unbeaten record in league play and went on to reach the Region IV-5A final round of the playoffs, the Valley’s first team to do so in three years.
The 6-foot, 4-inch Garza was a versatile threat that won all over the court. His size allowed him to win battles inside while also having the ability to step outside to hit from long-range. His ball skills helped him break defenders down to get to the rim or stop on the dime to knock down a mid-range shot with a soft touch.
After leading the SaberCats during a strong senior season, Garza is The Monitor’s 2023-24 All-Area Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
“This means a lot. I grew up watching my cousins play, and I never missed a game. I was always there, always looking up to them,” Garza said. “I wanted that. I always told myself I wanted to be better than them, and it’s just family love. Seeing those guys do their thing inspired me to do better, and I’m glad I went out like this.”
The SaberCats went 36-6 and set a record with 36 wins, the program’s most in a single season. Vela also went 18-0 in district play and put together a 22-game winning streak.
Garza played a major role in helping the SaberCats make it happen.
He averaged 16 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.2 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, all team highs. He also dished out 2.3 assists per game as a willing passer who used the defensive attention focused on him to find open teammates in scoring position.
He scored 19 points a game during Vela’s run to the regional final round of the playoffs that included wins over Harlingen South, Laredo Nixon, Sharyland Pioneer and San Antonio Wagner before a Round 5 loss against San Antonio Veterans.
“It’s not too often Valley teams reach that level. I think there was just a common goal in that locker room that we were going to play for each other no matter what the score was,” Garza said. “At the end of the day, we went out as a team and there’s nothing more you can ask for. It was a great run.”
Garza’s biggest performance of the postseason came in a 28-point, nine rebound outing against Laredo Nixon, a 66-60 area-round win. He also scored 10 fourth-quarter points against San Antonio Wagner to help lift the SaberCats to a 57-46 victory in a regional semifinal in San Antonio.
“That Sweet 16 game against Wagner, I went into the fourth quarter with, like, eight points and ended up with 18. Whenever my team needed a bucket I just wanted to be there for them and give them that encouragement,” he said. “My coaches gave me the confidence to come to me when we needed a bucket, and that’s what I tried doing.”
Garza also was named a Texas Association of Basketball Coaches All-Star and to the TABC UIL Class 5A All-Region team, in addition to earning District 31-5A Most Valuable Player and RGV Basketball Coaches Association Class 5A MVP honors during his senior season with the SaberCats.
