And then there were four

Big 7 Boys Basketball: Playoff Preview

 

 

On the final day of the regular season, with the UIL Boys State basketball playoffs on the horizon, four Big 7 basketball teams are gearing up for a postseason run. The La Joya Palmview Lobos, La Joya Coyotes, Sharyland Rattlers, and Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks all eagerly anticipate a postseason berth, with the latter two facing each other in a highly anticipated play-in game tonight at Sharyland Pioneer High School.

Here’s what to expect:

La Joya Palmview Lobos (25-10, 14-2)

The Palmview Lobos tore through District 30-5A, only dropping two games to the undefeated champions the Laredo Nixon Mustangs. After losing to the Mustangs at home in late January, the Lobos won seven consecutive games to finish the season, winning by double digits in all but two of those contests. Their 14-2 district record is the best mark in school history. Leading wings and 1,000 point scorers Pablo Trevino (10 ppg) and Leo Rivero (8 ppg) led the experienced Lobos into their fifth consecutive playoff berth, the most successful playoff run in school history. Big man Lino Salas (8 ppg, 6 rpg) and lead guard Jayden Gutierrez round out the Lobos star quartet.

 

“Our team has played better as the season has gone on. We have had great senior leadership from Leo Rivero, Pablo Trevino, and Dominic Ramirez. Our starting point guard, sophomore Jayden Gutierrez, has taken command, facilitated our offense, and spearheaded our defense. 6’5” junior Lino Salas has been a defensive presence in the paint and has improved his offensive game. We are peaking at the right time and are ready for the playoffs. Our fans can expect us to play smart, fundamentally sound, hard, and efficiently. We are working to stay sharp, in shape, and get healthy. Our seniors are ready to leave their mark on the program. We have been a perennial playoff program, and we believe that our program is one of the best in the Valley,” Palmview head boys basketball coach Albert Carrillo said.

 

The Lobos will face off against the Flour Bluff Hornets next Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Falfurrias High School in the Bi-District Championship round of the UIL 5A State basketball playoffs, where they’ll look to advance to the Area round for the first time in over 10 years.

 

La Joya Coyotes (16-19, 5-5)

 

 

The La Joya Coyotes are in the UIL 6A playoff field for the fourth consecutive year under head coach Eric Montalvo. The Coyotes had an up-and-down year, yet still managed to secure victories over the Edcouch-Elsa Yellow Jackets, Weslaco East Wildcats, and Harlingen Cardinals. A prolific trio of big-time bucket getters leads the Coyotes, including Anthony Romero (14 ppg, 38% 3pp), Owen Benoit (11 ppg, 5 rpg), and efficient big-man Aydin Wilder-Bey (11 ppg, 9 rpg, 1 bpg). The Coyotes attack the offensive glass well (7 orb/g) and create easy transition opportunities through their stingy defense (9 steals per game). To advance to the Area-round, they’ll need an efficient night from Wilder-Bey, timely shooting, and volume scoring from Romero and Benoit, and actively aware/error-free play from guards Dante Perez, Stuart Benoit, and Miguel Garcia.

 

Next up for the Coyotes will be their Bi-district round matchup against Brownsville Veterans next Tuesday at 7 p.m. at La Joya High School.

 

Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks (20-14,9-7) vs Sharyland High (18-15, 9-7)

Tonight at Sharyland Pioneer High School, the Sharyland Rattlers will enter hostile territory against their crosstown rivals, the Diamondbacks, in a play-in game to decide District 31-5A’s fourth and final playoff spot on the final day of the regular season. Senior Donovan Lyons and a trio of sophomores, including guards Shawn Ho, Noah Garza, and big man Juda Castellanos, will muster their collective talents in the explosive matchup.

 

The foursome averaged over 40 combined points per game and scored 85 percent of their team’s total points in two contests against the Diamondbacks earlier this year. Should the Rattlers win, their guard play will carry the day as Lyons (12 ppg), Ho (10 ppg), and Garza (10 ppg) all shoot over 40% from the field and have all played well against the Diamondbacks. A Rattlers win would earn them their first playoff berth since 2014, ending the decade-long dry spell for the former perennial championship program.

 

The Pioneer Diamondbacks’ six-year playoff run ended last year after a disappointing 8-8 district record left them stranded at the fifth seed. This year, the Diamondbacks are on the cusp of achieving their 7th playoff berth in eight years ahead of their matchup vs the Rattlers. Every conversation about the Diamondbacks starts and ends with junior combo-forward Muhamed Shaath.

 

Shaath, the District MVP candidate, is averaging 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 assists per game while shooting 51% from the field and 80% from the line. The force and grace of his relaxed, yet cerebral game, powered the Diamondbacks to double-digit wins. He’ll need help from sophomore Damian Gonzalez (7ppg) and senior Kaleb Cano (7ppg) to keep pace with the Rattlers incendiary backcourt.

 

The Diamondbacks may not be as prolific as they have been in previous years, but they have a chance with Shaath’s leadership and contributions from their supporting cast. After all, the last time they made the playoff field, they went three rounds deep.

 

“The road to the playoffs wasn’t without challenges. The team faced tough district opponents night in and night out, battled through injuries and adversity, and had to learn how to close out tight games. Early-season success, followed by a 0-4 start to the second round, tested the team’s focus, but those setbacks ultimately strengthened their resolve. Instead of folding under pressure, they came together and elevated their level of play when it mattered most,” Head Coach Fernando Rodriguez said about his Diamondbacks.