Boys basketball notebook: Weslaco Panthers growing up on the court

For an “inexperienced” team, the Weslaco Panthers are doing pretty well for themselves this year.

The Panthers (18-11) scored a huge win against Brownsville Hanna last week at home to put Weslaco in a three-way tie for first with the Eagles and Brownsville Porter.

All three teams are tied for first at 8-2 in 32-5A.

“It was a big win for us,” Weslaco head coach Gabe Valdez said. “The win puts us back in title contention.”

And the Panthers are there with a young squad.

Valdez lost a total of 9 lettermen from last year’s squad and all five starters.

He only returned one letterman, Gabe Valdez Jr.

“I think we’re at a point where we know each other,” Valdez said. “We’re starting to mesh together as a team becoming a good basketball team.”

Weslaco’s four remaining games include Brownsville Rivera on Friday followed by Brownsville Pace, Los Fresnos and finally Brownsville Porter in Southmost.

CLEARING THE AIR: In a game story of the Sharyland-Palmview game on Tuesday, Rattlers head coach David Keith declined to comment on a confrontation between him and Palmview head coach Andy Saenz in front of the scorer’s table.

In the story, Saenz told RGVSports.com that the incident started after the Sharyland coaches accused one of his players of trying to punch a Rattlers player.

“Obviously, it was a loose ball,” Saenz told RGVSports.com. “Obviously, it’s getting rough in there. Their assistant coach had a few choice words for me. I asked them to please be quiet. Their head coach proceeded to tell me to ‘shut the (expletive) up.’ I’m not going to take anyone cursing at me.’”

After the game, Keith declined to comment about the incident, adding that it was “unfortunate” and wanted to “focus on the positive,” according to the story on RGVSports.com

On Wednesday, Keith issued a response.

“In response to statements made by the Palmview head coach, the use of an (“explicative”) is simply not true. Also, my assistant coach did not use ‘choice’ words. He was responding to a question asked of him by the Palmview head coach. My decision not to respond to the incident was to try and maintain focus and attention on the hard work the kids from both teams put into the contest being played. I don’t believe the fact that the kids played a marvelous game was given enough credit in the article. Again, hats off to Palmview players for a very well-played game.”

Sharyland is at McAllen Memorial on Friday while Palmview hosts McAllen Rowe.

GO BIG OR GO HOME: It’s big-game Friday in Harlingen.

Following a 29-point loss to Harlingen last week, the No. 7 Edinburg North Cougars barely escaped against PSJA North, beating the Raiders 49-42 in overtime on Tuesday.

Now the Cougars (8-2 in 31-5A) come to Harlingen South to take on the No. 1 Hawks (9-1). South’s only loss came to the Coogs earlier this season and North head coach Rudy Garcia expects a battle.

“We beat them at our place the first time around so we know they’ll be ready to play,” Garcia said. “We have to be ready for them, because I know they’re going to be ready for us.”

Garcia and the Cougars are fighting to stay alive in the league title race. A win would put Edinburg North in a tie with South for the top spot.

Edinburg North’s last district title came in 1996. Last year’s playoff berth was also the first since 1996.

The Monitor’s Peter Rasmussen contributed to this report