HARLINGEN — With the wintery mix being the talk of the town, Harlingen High and Edinburg High heated things up for a third time this season.
With a game featuring a few of the Valley’s best athletes and two of the top programs, Friday’s non-district finale did not disappoint.
Harlingen senior Nadia Flores provided a gutsy 21-point performance along with junior Taegan Dickey, who netted 12 points, to lead the Lady Cards to a 55-52 double overtime win.
It was the final four point swing from Flores and Dickey that put the game on ice at 55-52 with 20 seconds left in the second overtime.
“This is a big win for us. We played as a unit tonight against a very good team,” said Flores. “I’m proud of my teammates. Tonight was a very physical game. We worked hard for this win; we all had and played with the same mindset.”
The third time was the charm for Harlingen against Edinburg as in their previous two meetings earlier this season the Lady Bobcats won 53-48 and 48-40. The win improved the Lady Cards to 16-6 as they begin district play Tuesday at Harlingen South.
“It’s always a physical game when we play Edinburg,” said Harlingen coach Ashley Moncivaiz. “They’re a great, competitive team on how they go out and play. They want to go out there and win, and so do we and we always like to play them because it helps us get ready for district.
“I think our girls came in more focused and ready, and they followed the game plan and basically played with each other.”
Harlingen raced off to a strong start in the first half led by Flores, who dropped 11 points in the first half. In the third quarter, Flores caught fire from beyond the arc and hit a pair of threes that extended Harlingen’s lead to 35-24.
“Nadia came into the game fierce and she got us going in the first half,” said Moncivaiz. “Her mentality is to score, play defense and rebound. She is a senior and she played like one tonight.”
Edinburg flexed its muscles with strong play from their shifty junior Jenessah Santa Maria, who sparked a 13-0 run and gave Edinburg a 37-35 lead midway through the third quarter.
Both teams locked horns in the fourth quarter and saw the game slip into a pair of overtimes with multiple lead changes.
In the first overtime, Jayla Santa Maria gave the Lady Cats a 48-46 lead only to be answered by the Lady Cards.
In the second overtime, Harlingen got some clutch free throws from Andrea Cortez that helped keep the Lady Cards within striking distance. Cortez only finished with four points, but hit a pair of crucial free throws.
“This win gives us confidence heading into district play and it shows all the work we have been putting in practice,” said Moncivaiz. “We have played in tough tournaments and have played against some of the Valley’s best and I believe those things have prepared us for district.”
