It’s not always easy being the young guy on the team, but sophomore point guard Michael Arellano delivered for the Harlingen Cardinals this past season.
Given the reigns at such a young age, Arellano averaged 15 points, 2.5 assists, 3 rebounds and also shot 83 percent from the free-throw line.
The left-handed showstopper came up big for Harlingen when he dropped a game-high 25 points against the San Benito Greyhounds, which led to a Cardinals 61-53 victory.
With the results like the aforementioned to back up the hype, Arellano was named the Valley Morning Star’s All-STAR Newcomer of the Year.
“It’s truly an honor to receive an award like this,” Arellano said. “All credit to God, but I couldn’t have achieved something like this without the help of my coaches and teammates.”
Head coach Greg Yates had the opportunity to mentor the young man in his first year as a varsity member and is quite excited for the seasons that lie ahead.
“I like having a left-handed point guard because it adds a different dimension to our offense,” said Yates. “He’s a real knowledgeable player offensively, but we’re going to continue to work together to improve on certain areas of his game.”
During the offseason, Arellano plans to perfect his offensive capabilities with his prime focus to enhance his game defensively.
“Since I wasn’t satisfied with my defense this season, I’m going to work hard so I can help my team on that side of the ball,” he said. “My goal for next year is to hopefully win defensive MVP and be the best player that I can be.”
Arellano hopes to lead the Cardinals to a district championship next season along with a trip to the state finals.
VMS ALL-STAR BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM
MVP
Leo Lara, Santa Rosa
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jalen Morrell, La Feria
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Noah Perez, Harlingen South
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Michael Arellano, Harlingen High
COACH OF THE YEAR
Johnny Cipriano, Santa Rosa
FIRST TEAM
Aaron Briones, Harlingen South
Brandon Bennett, Harlingen South
Matt Garcia, Santa Rosa
Monico Prado, Santa Rosa
Billy Watson, La Feria
SECOND TEAM
AB Lozoya, Santa Rosa
Jonah Agado, Santa Rosa
Julian Trevino, La Feria
Matthew Sesler, Harlingen High
Andre Ibarra, Lyford
