By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR.
Special to the PRESS
On Tuesday, Dec. 3, the 4A Port Isabel Tarpons played a non-district game against the 6A Harlingen Cardinals. The teams met last season with the Cardinals squeaking out a 54-53 win against the Tarpons, but this season the Cardinals proved too much for the young Tarpon squad as they cruised to an 87-52 win.
Headlining the Port Isabel team are seniors Cleveland and Christian Smith. They are joined by sophomores, Marcos Baldovinos, Eli Alvarez and Shiloh Galvan in the starting lineup. The Tarpon squad has a
whopping eight sophomores on the team, so the team will be going through some growing pains early in the season.
From the opening buzzer, the Cardinals looked in mid-season form as they jumped out to a 35-5 lead in the first quarter behind a barrage of three-pointers. The Tarpons first points came off a three-pointer by Cl. Smith with one and a half minutes left in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Smith twins kept attacking the Cardinals defense as the buckets finally started to go in. The Tarpons went toe-to-toe with the Cardinals in the quarter as both teams scored 18 points a piece,
but Harlingen still led 53-23 at halftime. Cl. Smith had six points while Ch. Smith had 12 points for the Tarpons during the quarter.
As the second half got underway, Galvan, Baldovinos and other Tarpons got involved in scoring, but Harlingen maintained their lead ultimately winning the game 87-52.
Basketball head coach Gilbert Rodriguez knew his team would compete against tough opponents, but hoped his team could learn from the experience.
“It was tough to get going. Harlingen came out pretty intense at home,” said Rodriguez. “We scheduled a tough schedule to get ready for district, so hopefully it will pay off once we get into the district games.”
The next Tarpons game is slated for this Friday, Dec. 6, at 8 p.m., at home against the Roma Gladiators.