By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR.
Special to the PRESS
The 2023-2024 Port Isabel Tarpons basketball team had one of their best seasons ever. They finished with an impressive 28-7 overall record, including 14-0 in district play.
The 28 wins in a season ties the 2019-2020 team with the most wins a Port Isabel team has accomplished. Furthermore, the team received the premier All-District honors for their outstanding performance on the court. They set a new milestone: it became Port Isabel’s first team to finish undefeated in district play, set a new winning streak record at 22 games.
Districts 32 – 4A MVP goes to Guard Cleveland Smith. He also garnered Academic All-District honors and was the only PI player selected All-Region by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC). Cleveland Smith was a prolific scorer who could penetrate the basket for an easy layup or shoot the ball from the 3-point line. He was also tremendous on defense, a great rebounder, and had a knack for steals.
The other guard position was taken up by twin Christian Smith, who earned 1st Team All-District honors and was also selected Academic All-District. Christian Smith was primarily the point guard, moving the ball around to the open man, but he could also score. Like his twin, he was a good defender, shadowing his opponent and not giving up any space.
Senior Jeffrey Smith, the elder of the Smith brothers, earned 32-4A Offensive Player of the Year honors. Offensively, he loved shooting from beyond the arc but was also proficient at fast-break plays. As an excellent offensive player, Smith was an even better defensive player. He made many highlights as he trailed his opponents, who attempted layups only to get blocked by Smith from behind.
Senior forward Aiden Sanchez was a vocal leader on the court, but when called upon to score, he delivered. He was also a great defender, and for his efforts, he earned 2nd Team All-District and Academic All-District honors.
Senior center Shuan Moore was an intimidating presence in the paint. Moore was a defensive specialist who had more than his fair share of blocks and steals. He often used his rebounding skills to score second-chance points at the rim. He earned 2nd Team All-District and Academic All-District honors.
Earning Honorable Mention were Kevin Morales and Michael Bryant.
Head coach Gilbert Rodriguez earned the 32-4A Coach of the Year award for the successful season. Rodriquez was appreciative of the support his team received throughout the season. “I want to thank our administration, parents, cheerleaders, band, and fans for their amazing show of support for our boys,” said Rodriguez.
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