Long-distance shooting helping PSJA North

The three’s the thing at PSJA North. Leave a Lady Raiders’ shooter open from beyond the 3-point arc, more than likely she is going to take the shot.

“If you have your feet set, you shoot the ball,” PSJA North coach Randy Bocanegra said, explaining his team basic offensive approach. “On the third miss, you attack the basket. We go to the basket, we kick out. We get better looks.”

The Lady Raiders showed this on Tuesday in their 70-42 victory over Edinburg North when they made 11 3-pointers. PSJA North has made 169 3-pointers this season and is led by senior Cassie Aleman’s 41. Ileen Torres has 40, Kirsten Sifuentes 36 and Brenda Borrego 32.

Aleman, PSJA North’s point guard, said she turned herself into a 3-point shooter last summer on the advice of a cousin of hers.

“Girls don’t really guard that close,” Aleman said her cousin told her. “They give you that long space, so I started working on that.”

Establishing the outside shot early opens the way for penetration. The Lady Raiders have been equally adept at attacking the basket and shooting the three. Bocanegra said it’s been the secret to his team’s success, and it’s the biggest reason why the Lady Raiders have qualified for the playoffs for the first time in the program’s history.

The Lady Raiders are 25-7 overall and 10-2 in district and have secured the second seed in District 31-5A. In addition to making the playoffs for the first time, PSJA North has set a school record for most wins in a season.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

One of the area’s traditional powers, Harlingen South or Edinburg High, is looking at the likelihood of not making the postseason this season. The Lady Hawks, defending champions in District 31-5A and a regional tournament qualifier last year, is tied in fourth place with Edinburg High at 6-6.

Both teams are in rebuilding mode after losing a majority of their starters from last year. Edinburg High graduated its talented guard combo in Laura Torres, Valley Freedom Newspapers’ All-Valley player of the year, and Bianca Casas, also an All-Valley pick. Harlingen South graduated All-Valley picks Amanda Garcia and Ashley Bukowski.

Harlingen High (12-0) and PSJA North (10-2) have secured two of the spots in District 31-5A. Third place Edinburg North is 8-4. The Lady Hawks play host to Edinburg North on Friday. The Lady Cougars have lost two in a row. Edinburg High plays PSJA Memorial (1-11) on Friday. Harlingen South plays at Edinburg High on Tuesday to finish the regular season.

STAYING ALIVE

Three playoff spots in District 32-5A have been locked up. At 12-0 in district Los Fresnos, has clinched at least a tie for the championship. Weslaco is second at 10-2 and San Benito third at 8-4.

Then it drops off, leaving Brownsville Rivera (5-7), Brownsville Pace (4-8), Brownsville Hanna (4-8) and Brownsville Porter (4-8) in a rather underwhelming battle for the final playoff spot with two games remaining. Despite losing to Los Fresnos on Tuesday, Rivera controls its fate it wins out. But things figured to get muddled if the Lady Raiders lose to Weslaco. Should that happen and Hanna defeats Lopez (1-11), the Lady Golden Eagles will still be in position to nab the spot.

“I thought we’d be way out of it by now,” Hanna coach Willie Brown said. “No one wants to step up and take that spot.”

Hanna still faces an uphill climb because it finishes the regular season against San Benito. Rivera has defeated Hanna twice so the Lady Raiders own the tiebreaker. Four of Hanna’s losses have come by a combined 11 points, including a 51-49 defeat to San Benito on Jan. 13.

“It’s been a familiar theme for us the last three years,” Brown said. “We have lost ball games we had no business losing, and then against the teams that are really, really good, we have played really well and give ourselves a chance.”

David Hinojosa covers girls high school basketball for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4442 or via email at dhinojosa@themonitor.com