LA JOYA — Deadlocked with Rio Grande City with less than 30 seconds remaining, the McAllen High Bulldogs turned to their star, senior Celina Saenz, who had scored six of the team’s seven points during the final period.
Saenz took the ball at the top of the key, driving to the basket in search of the game-winning basket. Three Rattlers defenders immediately swarmed to Saenz, forcing a miss.
With the defense focused on stopping Saenz, senior Adi Fleischmann found herself under the rim all alone, grabbing the offensive rebound and putting the ball into the hoop for the go-ahead score to stun the Bulldogs 44-42 on Friday at La Joya High.
“Coach just told me to go up and go up strong,” Fleischmann said. “I just went up. I wasn’t shooting for myself. I was shooting for the team because I know we’ve come a long way this season. Last time we played them, I know it was not like this. I couldn’t not let that shot go in.”
Saenz finished with a game-high 16 points, including a six-point outburst during the fourth to keep the Bulldogs in control. Fleischmann added 10 points, scoring the first and final basket for McHi.
Emily Lopez led the way for the Rattlers, scoring a team-high 13 points, while sophomore Moniq Lopez chipped in 11 points.
Tied at the break, the Bulldogs entered the contest hungry to prove they weren’t the same team from their last meeting, a 50-32 loss Nov. 30.
Led by Fleischmann’s six points, McAllen High outscored Rio Grande City 9-1 during the first six minutes of the third, taking a 35-28 lead and forcing the Rattlers to call a timeout.
The Rattlers responded after the stoppage, cutting the deficit to one behind a personal 8-0 run by Emily. After a basket by Saenz pushed the lead back to three, Moniq fired back with a long three to tie the game with 2:30 left.
Saenz gave the Bulldogs a three-point advantage on a layup with 1:04 remaining. Moments later, the Rattlers tied the game, with senior Angela Razo forcing a turnover on an inbound pass and converting an easy layup.
A last-second heave by the Rattlers following Fleischmann’s go-ahead basket fell short, putting a stop to their 14-game winning streak and ending their season.
“We had told them from the beginning, we’re not the same team that played them in November,” McAllen High head coach Stephanie Cantu said. “We’ve gotten better since then. The Rattlers are a heck of a ball club. I can’t take anything away from them. They fought hard. I just think this time the fight in the dog was a little better than the rattler.”
The Rattlers finish the season with a 29-10 overall mark, claiming their second straight undefeated District 30-5A title along the way.
The Bulldogs advance to the regional quarterfinals for the first time since 2009, facing off against the Corpus Christi Veterans Eagles at a date, time and location to be determined.
