(Falfurrias, Texas)-“We win baby,” said McAllen High School head basketball coach, Ryan Flores as they defeated 29-5A Flour Bluff for the second year in a row in the Class 5A Region IV Boys Basketball Quarterfinals 52-48 at Falfurrias Junior High Gymnasium on Tuesday night. With the win, the 31-5A Bulldogs (32-8) will travel to play 26-5A Boerne Champion (31-6) at Northeast ISD Gynamisum in San Antonio at 5:30 p.m. on Friday night in the University Interscholastic League 5A Region IV semifinals. The winner will meet 26-5A SA Veterans (31-5) or 29-5A CC Veterans (31-7) in the UIL 5A Regional Championships on Saturday, March 5th with the winner advancing to the UIL State Boys Basketball Tournament March 10-12th at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
McAllen High School head coach Ryan Flores was worried before tip-off. “I was just hoping we would start scoring,” said Flores. “We have been struggling on offense these past few games.” He was right too. The McAllen Bulldogs started the night slow, as Flour Bluff blew past the Bulldogs 18-8 at the end of the first period hitting four three-pointers and playing more of an up-tempo, fast-pace game, catching the Bulldogs off balance on both sides of the court. The Bulldogs watched the Hornets hit three straight 3ptrs to lead 9-4 in the first period and junior Lukas Drasutis (6’7) drained another three-pointer to make it 13-6. Teammate Hayden Wilson, another 6’7 power forward, finished the first period with a score from under the basket to make it 18-8.
In the second period, the Bulldogs did not score a basket as they continued to struggle on offense. McHi’s Robert Canul finally nailed a three-pointer with 6:02 left in the half to make it 18-11 and then it happened, the Hornets changed its game-scheme. They decided to slow down the pace of the game and this proved to be costly as the Bulldogs started to shed new light on offense. Bulldog’s point guard Darren Manriquez spotted Canul for a three-pointer to make it 18-14 and Canul again, would steal the ball and race down court for two points and was fouled. He converted both free throws to trail 18-16 with 4:42 left in the half. The Hornets managed to regroup and closed out the half leading 26-18.
In the second half, the Hornets came out stronger by taking a 30-21 lead with 4:20 left in the third period. With Manriquez out on with an ankle injury, the Bulldogs brought in Erasmo Alvarado and he gave the Bulldogs new-life with his drive to the basket for two points and was fouled. The McHi crowd came alive as they closed in on the Hornets trailing 31-24 with 3:10 left in the third period. Manriquez gave Flores his “thumbs up” and came back into the game, taped up. Limping, Manriquez found sophomore Daniel Cantu open for two points to end the third period trailing 31-28.
In the fourth period, Flores made another roster change and brought in 6’7 junior Kaharie Loggins and he took over. On a rebound, Loggins would score to make it 33-30 Hornets. Again, Manriquez would find Loggins with 6:57 left to play and he would get fouled. Loggins convert a bonus point to inch the Bulldogs closer, trailing 33-31. It was Loggins again, this time on a steal, and he raced down court, finding sophomore Canul open for two points to tie the game at 33-33 as Bulldogs fans erupted in the stands with 6:15 left to play as he was fouled. Canul made his bonus to give the Bulldogs its first game lead 34-31. “The fans were great,” said Loggins.
With 4:28 left, Manriquez looked down court on a rebound and found Robert Canul open for a three pointer to give the Bulldogs a 37-34 lead. Loggins proved to be the key factor in the final minutes as he would score again to break a 37-37 tie to make it 39-37 McHi and the Bulldogs never looked back. “Both teams played an amazing game tonight,” said Flores. “This is what I expected tonight. We win baby.”
