By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR.
Special to the PRESS
This Tuesday, December 16, the (5-8) Port Isabel ECHS Tarpons hosted the (12-7) STX Saints in a non-district basketball game.
Prior to the matchup, the Tarpons had wrapped up competing in La Feria’s C.E. Vail Tournament where they finished with a 1-2 record. The Tarpons picked up a 67-54 win over Lyford, but lost to Edinburg North (80-32) and Vanguard Academy Beethoven (57-34). Meanwhile, the Saints were coming off a 72-50 win over Marine Military Academy.
The game started off slow for both teams as they both struggled to make a shot. At the 5:33 mark, PI’s Marcos Baldovinos grabbed a rebound then made a long pass to Shiloh Galvan who then passed the ball to Grayson Estes who finished the play with a layup, giving the Tarpons an early 3-1 lead. Unfortunately, the Saints went on a 9-2 run forcing PI to call a timeout with two and a half minutes left in the first. Upon returning from the timeout, Galvan made back-to-back baskets to get PI back in the game as the first quarter ended with the Saints holding onto a 11-9 lead.
As the second quarter got underway, both teams started to find their rhythm. With less than five minutes left in the quarter, PI’s Aidan Ramos stole the ball and took it back for the basket, but PI still trailed 19-18. The rest of the quarter was a back-and-forth battle, with PI getting a last second basket to tie the game at 24-24 just before halftime.
The Tarpons carried the momentum into the third quarter as Ramos got a block and a steal on back-to-back plays, followed by a 3-pointer by Eli Alvarez which gave PI a 27-24 lead. The Saints responded with a couple of steals of their own leading to an 8-0 run forcing PI to call a timeout. PI’s Bryan Martinez added a spark in the quarter with a pair of 3-points, but it wasn’t enough as the Saints closed out the quarter with a 51-39 lead.
The Saints kept the Tarpons at bay in the final stanza in part to them continuing to outrebound the Tarpons, and ultimately securing a 71-59 win.
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