Espericueta, Bobcats topple Porter

EDINBURG – Noe Espericueta didn’t want to end his senior season without both a district championship and playoff win. On Tuesday against the Brownsville Porter Cowboys, Espericueta made sure his last high school season includes at least a postseason victory.

Espericueta scored 22 points and grabbed 21 rebounds as the Edinburg High Bobcats overcame a 12-point first-half deficit to beat Porter 68-60 in their bi-district playoff game Tuesday night.

With the win, Edinburg High advances to play Laredo United in the area round. Brownsville Porter, which won a share of the District 32-5A championship, sees its season end with a 19-13 record.

Espericueta and the Bobcats entered these playoffs in an unfamiliar spot --- as something other than District 31-5A champions. Though not winning the school’s seventh straight district championship was a disappointment, it would have been made worse by losing in bi-district.

“I think that’s what really motivated us,” Espericueta said. “We have high expectations here of being a Bobcat and keeping the tradition going in the playoffs. We didn’t reach our goal of making the playoffs but we made sure to make our goal here in the playoffs.”

Midway through the second quarter, however, it looked like the Bobcats (25-11) would exit the playoffs empty-handed. After a Jonah Kavanaugh basket, Edinburg trailed 31-19 with 4:10 left in the second.

But instead of letting their season end, the Bobcats adjusted their press defense to change the tempo of the game. While that was happening --- and maybe because of it --- Porter missed multiple layups, killing its chances of building its lead.

“We missed them,” Porter coach Luis Garza said. “I think we gave them a chance to get back in the game and you can’t do that with a team like this, especially with the tradition they have.”

By halftime, the Bobcats had tied the game at 33 and then they took control for good with a 10-0 run early in the fourth quarter.

“We knew they were going to come out firing,” Edinburg coach Zeke Cuellar said. “It was just the second half it looked like their legs got a little tired and those shots weren’t falling for them in the second half.”

Matthew Garza added 19 for the Bobcats. Hugo Salazar had 20 for Porter, which also got 19 from Kavanaugh.

Brian Sandalow covers high school sports for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436 or via email at bsandalow@themonitor.com.