A trio of former Rio Grande Valley high school boys basketball stars turned college hoopers are set to collide in the semifinals of the Lone Star Conference (LSC) Tournament today, when Texas A&M-Kingsville and St. Edwards hit the court.
Former Sharyland Pioneer standouts Jordan Wilson and Derek Luna both start for the TAMUK Javelinas, while Edinburg Vela’s Ryan Garza is a starter for the Hilltoppers.
The winner moves on to the LSC Tournament Championship against the winner of Dallas Baptist and West Texas A&M, scheduled for Saturday. Teams that win their conference tournament receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II men’s basketball championship.
Wilson (Pioneer class of 2017) is averaging 11.2 points and 5.2 rebounds, while shooting 48.9% from the field. The TAMUK guard was recently named to the Lone Star Conference’s Third Team for his play this season.
Luna (Pioneer class of 2020) has started all 17 games for the Javelinas, averaging five points and 2.5 rebounds as a freshman guard.
The pair of former Pioneer Diamondbacks have helped Texas A&M-Kingsville build a 15-2 overall record. The Javelinas are ranked 14th in the country, according to the National Association of Basketball Coaches NCAA Division II poll. TAMUK beat Angelo State 73-65 on Tuesday in the opening round of the LSC Tournament to punch its ticket to the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Garza (Vela class of 2017) has posted 9.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game for the St. Edward’s Hilltoppers as a senior. SEU is 11-7 overall, but won a dramatic 72-71 matchup against Lubbock Christian on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals.
The Javelinas and Hilltoppers delivered two thrillers during the regular season as TAMUK won both matchups by a combined four points — 86-83 on Feb. 4, and 83-82 on Feb. 6.
Tip-off is slated for 6:45 tonight at the First United Bank Center in Canyon. The game can be viewed at JavelinaAthletics.com.
