Squads set for district play

(San Benito News/T.J. Tijerina)

By PETE BANDA
Special to the NEWS

Now that the calendar has officially jumped to 2024, Greyhound athletics is shifting its focus to winter sports.

While softball, wrestling, tennis and track is just starting to get their schedules going, the basketball teams are set for the most important stretch of games of the year as District 32-6A play kicks off this weekend.

The Greyhounds are looking to repeat their historic district championship season from 2023 as they enter year three under head coach Luis Garza, while the Lady ’Hounds are hoping for back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since the 2017-2018 seasons.

The Greyhounds are commencing their quest to defend the 32-6A crown in a much anticipated Battle of the Arroyo rivalry matchup with the red hot Harlingen Cardinals. After surprisingly missing the playoffs and struggling for most of the season last year, Harlingen has looked like the best team in South Texas through the first two months of the season. Sporting a sterling 24-3 overall record that includes a 19-game winning streak, the Cardinals have already doubled last year’s win total and have won six of their last eight games by double digits.

“(Harlingen) historically has had one of the best basketball programs in the Valley, and this year looks like the best team they’ve had in a long time,” said Greyhound Head Coach Luis Garza. “It will be a tough test for us, but we shocked everyone last year, and it started with the Harlingen game. I’m confident in this team and what I know for sure is that we’re going to battle till the last whistle.”

The Greyhounds have had trouble finding their footing in the early season as they dealt with injuries and illness while trying to fill in four starting spots left empty after graduation. Trying to limit the high powered Cardinal offense — which will enter the game averaging over 61 points a game — will be at the top of the to-do list for Garza and his crew.

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