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WESLACO It didn’t take long for Weslaco East freshman guard Zion Rodriguez to prove he belonged on the court against top competition.

He dropped double digit points in the first two games of his high school career against Harlingen High and Los Fresnos. By the end of the season, he had helped lead Weslaco East back into the playoffs for the second consecutive year while averaging a team-high 12.5 points per game.

For his play during his first year at the varsity level, Rodriguez is The Monitor’s 2022 All-Area Boys Basketball Newcomer of the Year.

“It’s an honor because as a freshman, I put in a lot of work throughout the year and it’s a great accomplishment,” he said.

One of his top priorities was to prove any naysayers wrong. His father, Zeke Rodriguez, just wrapped up his second year as Weslaco East’s boys basketball head coach. The younger Rodriguez was determined to show he earned his spot based on merit and not family ties.

“(My goal) was to try to prove to everybody that I’m not on varsity because my dad’s the coach. I was there because of my skills and how good I was,” he said. “I think I accomplished that. We played (Brownsville) Pace at home and I scored 26 points against the No. 1 team in the Valley.”

Weslaco East’s Zion Rodriguez (5) drives to the basket against Mercedes in a District 32-5A matchup at Mercedes High School on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022 in Mercedes. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])

Rodriguez finished the season averaging 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.4 steals to go with his 12.5 points per game, which ranked No. 6 in District 32-5A. He also helped the Wildcats secure the district’s No. 2 seed with a 10-4 record.

Growing up, playing against bigger, older and tougher competition was the norm. That’s where Rodriguez learned to find different ways of scoring and how to use anything he could to his advantage. He also spends a lot of time in the weight room, which allows him to absorb and finish through contact when driving the ball in the paint against bigger bodies.

“Lifting weights has helped a lot. I just feel stronger and I can protect myself and can’t be bullied,” he said.

While his start to the season was solid, his finish was sensational. He led the Wildcats to a 7-1 record over the second half of District 32-5A play while averaging 22 points per game, giving a glimpse of what the future may hold.

With three years ahead of him, Rodriguez hopes to help Weslaco East basketball hoist a district championship trophy while continuing to put the program on the map.

“(East) has always been a football school, but to change that and make it into sort of a basketball school has been pretty cool,” he said.

[email protected]