RGV Capsules: Vipers going back to basics
Rio Grande Valley Vipers coach Chris Finch has no problem with wide-open, transition basketball. But he probably didn’t envision his team resorting to a Paul Westhead-era Loyola Marymount-like running and gunning style made famous some 20 years ago.
The Vipers have given up an average of 130.0 points in their last three games, and they’ve actually won two of those. One was a 136-128 win over Bakersfield and another was a 146-135 victory over Springfield.
On the surface, that seems to be good news for the Vipers, who begin a back-to-back stretch beginning tonight in Bakersfield. But considering the offensive catalyst in those wins, point guard Will Conroy, is now wearing a Houston Rockets’ uniform, there are some concerns.
"I’m all for wide-open basketball, but our defensive has been terrible," Finch said. "We are going to have to start using our defense to create some of those (offensive) opportunities."
One problem is the Vipers’ best defenders this season — Garrett Temple (Sacramento Kings), Antonio Anderson (Oklahoma City) and Mike Harris (Washington Wizards) — are on NBA squads. There’s a slim chance Anderson, whose 10-day contract with the Thunder expires this week, could rejoin the Vipers soon if he doesn’t get re-signed by Thunder or picked up by another NBA squad.
That trio, along with Conroy, has largely been responsible for the Vipers’ 26-10 mark, which leads the NBA D-League’s Western Conference by 2 1/2 games. Those four have combined for seven NBA callups this season, which set a league-record for one season.
Thus, the Vipers trudge on with a roster of eight players whose roles have largely been supporting. Because of that, Finch has characterized practice this week as a "training camp."
It gives Vipers’ mainstays this season — guard Jonathan Wallace, guard Craig Winder, forward Ernest Scott, center Mickell Gladness and forward Stanley Asumnu — a chance to become more acquainted with recent signees like forward Kevin Rogers, guard Kenny Hasbrouck and guard/forward Sean Barnette. Julian Sensley, who was waived by the Vipers two weeks ago, is expected to rejoin the team in time for tonight’s game after recovering from an ankle injury.
"In all my years of coaching, even when you have a consistent lineup, is there’s always a point when you have to back to the beginning," Finch said. "It’s part of the normal rhythm of the season. Life goes on. We have to teach them and get them out of some of their bad habits."
Then, Finch reiterated his original point.
"We have to play better defense," Finch said. "We have to be more competitive individually and play with a little more pride on the defensive end of the floor. We can’t allow all the up-tempo destroy the rhythm of the game."
David Hinojosa covers the Rio Grande Valley Vipers for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4442 or via e-mail at dhinojosa@themonitor.com.
College
Broncs want more
The University of Texas-Pan American surprisingly played No. 3 Texas tough Tuesday but that wasn’t enough for Broncs coach Manny Mantrana.
"It ate me up knowing that we should have won that game, and we didn’t," Mantrana said. "It ate me up knowing that those two balks gave them the victory when we pitched better than they did, hit better than they did and played better defense than they did."
Kyle Kotchie, who struck out 11 in the loss to Texas, balked in two runs. Other than that, the Broncs outplayed the Longhorns. The Broncs had eight hits to the Longhorns’ four and complied 13 strikeouts as a team compared to only six by Texas.
And just because they played well against one of the top teams in the nation, Mantrana reminded the team at practice Thursday that the Broncs (4-1) haven’t proven anything yet.
"We’ve only won four games," he told them.
Mantrana doesn’t want the team to lose focus just because it almost beat Texas, adding this weekend’s foe — Louisiana Tech — is tough. The Bulldogs (6-2), who are coming off a 14-6 win over Baylor, arrive for a three-game series, beginning at 6 tonight at Edinburg Baseball Stadium.
"(Louisiana Tech) is a very good ballclub," Mantrana said. "They can hit the ball. It is going to be a good test for us this weekend."
The Bulldogs have not scored less than eight runs in a game since a 1-0 setback to start the season. The Bulldogs have already scored 74 runs this year.
Scott Wingo (1-0) has been tapped to slow the Bulldogs tonight. He will also attempt to bounce back from a shaky performance against the University of Texas at Brownsv ille and Texas Southmost College last week.
"I am always confident, especially with our lineup," Wingo said. "If our pitchers keep us in the game, we always have a shot. I’m just going about it the same way I do every game. I’ll be fine."
If UTPA is successful against Louisiana Tech this weekend, it may be further indication of how much the Broncs have improved this season.
"We knew coming into the season, what we are capable of," Broncs first baseman Garrett Bivone said. "Proving it against the No. 3 team in the nation, it has built up our confidence. We could see what we can do this season with good pitching, defense and hitting."
EXTRA BASES: Jamey Bradshaw (1-0, 3.60 ERA) will start for the Bulldogs. … The Bulldogs and Broncs used to be Sun Belt rivals. This is the first meeting between the teams since 1998. … Tech is 32-14 all-time vs. UTPA.
Peter Rasmussen covers UTPA athletics for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4448 or via e-mail at prasmussen@themonitor.com.
Broncs edged in overtime
The University of Texas-Pan American Broncs lost 85-79 in overtime to the South Dakota Coyotes on Thursday at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D.
South Dakota’s lead was quickly shut down by the Broncs as UTPA (4-26, 3-8) tied the score within 4:43 of play. The Broncs tied the score at six on a layup by Matt Mierzycki.
The Broncs tied the score on two more occasions before taking a lead at the 13:25 mark on a free throw shot by Jared Maree. That short-lived lead was quickly taken back on a layup by South Dakota’s Mitchell Bouie.
On the next possession, the Broncs scored on a layup by Manny Hendrix, the start of the Broncs’ first strong lead of the half. UTPA led by as much as six on two occasions, the first coming on a shot from behind the arc by Ben Smith with 10:42 on the clock and the other at the 8:12 mark on a bucket by Aaron Urbanus.
The Coyotes closed in on the Broncs on two occasions and took a lead after they tied the score for the fifth time on a pair of free throws by Tyler Cain with 3:30 left in regulation.
The Broncs tied the score with 1:25 in the half on a free throw by Maree, but the Coyotes led at the half on a basket by Bouie.
Coming out of the half, USD opened their lead to five but quickly lost it as the Broncs tied the score and took a lead on a free throw shot by Nick Weiermiller. With a dunk at the 15:22 mark by Cain, South Dakota and maintained it until 4:13 in the second half as the Broncs tied the score once again on a basket by Mierzycki.
In the final minutes of play, both teams tied the score on three occasions. The contest headed into overtime with the score tied at 66 after Cain tied the score with 17 seconds on the clock.
Overtime consisted of three lead changes, with the Broncs leading on one occasion after Luis Valera scored.
The Broncs closed out the contest with four players in double-figures. Urbanus scored a team-high 15 points on 6 of 11 shooting from the field, including 2 of 4 from behind the arc, and 1 of 3 from the line, to go along with five rebounds and a pair of assists and steals.
Weiermiller scored 14 points for the Broncs and collected eight assists and two steals. Valera added 12 points and five rebounds, while Maree chipped in with 10 points and three rebounds.
Cain scored a career-high 34 points on 13-of-17 shooting from the field and 8-of-13 from the line, to go along with 17 rebounds, seven blocks, five steals, and one assist.
UTPA ends the season Saturday against the North Dakota Fighting Sioux at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center in Grand Forks, N.D.
-- UTPA Services
Lady Broncs squeak by Coyotes
The University of Texas-Pan American women’s basketball program picked up their 12th win of the season as the Lady Broncs defeated the South Dakota Coyotes 57-56 in the final seconds of play Thursday at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D.
The Lady Broncs (12-15, 8-3) began the contest on a 7-0 run. Rose Esther Jean scored four points of UTPA’s run. South Dakota (12-15, 4-6) got on the board as Andrea Garza fouled Jasmine Mosley for two; Mosley sank one of her two free throws with 16:40 on the clock.
UTPA held onto its lead, but Mosley’s free throw was the start of USD’s 7-0 run to tie the score at seven with 12:09 on the clock. South Dakota’s Abby Kinder’s three-point shot then put the Coyotes up and gave them the lead.
South Dakota led by as much as nine on three separate occasions and headed into the half leading by two after UTPA closed out the half on an 11-3 run. South Dakota led 28-26.
Coming out of the half, the Coyotes held onto their lead as Aleeya Grigsby fouled South Dakota’s Amber Hegge with 19:34 on the clock; Hegge made only one of her two free throws.
The Lady Broncs cut South Dakota’s lead and came within one with 18:18 on the clock on a layup by Sherrell Davis. A jump shot at the 17:48 mark by Marah Guzman put the Lady Broncs back up and in the game.
The next four minutes on the clock was a battle for the lead as each club led by no more than three points. UTPA pulled away with 13:18 on the clock as Guzman scored two for the Lady Broncs to put UTPA up 42-37.
USD closed in on the Lady Broncs again to tie the contest for the second time with 10:06 on the clock. The Lady Broncs regained their lead on a bucket by Grigsby.
The Lady Broncs then led by as much as nine on two occasions and saw their largest lead of the half at the 4:16 mark as Jean scored two. That was be the last time UTPA would score during the contest.
USD closed out the contest on an 8-0 run and came as close as one as Hegge was drawn to the line by Grigsby on her fourth foul. Hegge made only one of her two free throws.
For the Lady Broncs, Bianca Torre scored 17 points on 4 of 13 shooting from the field and a perfect 8 of 8 from the line, to go along with four assists and two steals. Grigsby added 13 points and pulled down nine rebounds.
Davis scored a career-high nine points and was one rebound shy of tying her career-high seven rebounds with six in 32 minutes of action.
Hegge led the Coyotes with 17 points and 12 rebounds along with two blocks, an assist and steal.
The Lady Broncs close out the regular season a 1 p.m. Saturday against the North Dakota Fighting Sioux.
-- UTPA Services
Baseball
Whitewings to open season May 27 at Laredo
The Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings announced they are opening their fifth season in United League Baseball at 7:35 p.m. May 27 against the Laredo Bronocs at Veterans Field with the first of two games before returning to Harlingen Field for the home opener against the Edinburg Roadrunners at 7:05 p.m. Saturday.
That will mark the start of a 93-game regular season, with 46 at home. All games will start at 7:05 p.m., with the exceptions of June 30 and Aug. 2 (11:05 a.m.). The WhiteWings will also play one scheduled home doubleheader (July 10 against San Angelo) and two on the road. Gates open one hour before scheduled first pitch.
The WhiteWings also will host an exhibition game against the Roadrunners at 11:05 a.m. Monday, May 24, on school day/magnet schedule giveaway day. The first two regular-season games will also feature magnet schedule giveaways.
Among the returning promotions are Thirsty Thursdays ($1 draft beer, $1 soda, $2 bottles) and Twofer Tuesdays (buy one get one free for tickets, hot dogs, sodas and beers), presented by RC Cola.
The WhiteWings are also bringing back Guaranteed Win Night (if the WhiteWings don’t win, everyone gets a free ticket to an upcoming game) every Wednesday.
Every Saturday will be Centennial Saturday, as the WhiteWings will turn back the clock to honor different decades over the past 100 years while celebrating Harlingen’s centennial.
Sundays will be family day, when family-oriented coupons will be available to help families come out to the games.
"This is going to be an exciting season of WhiteWings baseball for the entire community. We take a lot of pride in being the only professional team in the lower valley and we plan to make sure everyone has a great time at every game. Those of us who work here are lucky enough to get to go to a baseball stadium to work everyday. We want to share that sense of excitement with every single person who walks through our gates," WhiteWings General Manager Cory Dirksen said
Although the WhiteWings are not at home on Independence Day, they will celebrate the holiday July 5 against Amarillo. The WhiteWings close the season with Fan Appreciation night on Aug. 27 against Laredo.
The WhiteWings will host four youth clinics, before the games June 28, July 6, July 19 and Aug. 9. Details about a special youth baseball camp are expected to be announced in the near future.
Season tickets start at $120 and can be purchased by calling the WhiteWings at (956) 423-9464, or in person at the Harlingen Field office.
-- WhiteWings Services
