Matthew “Moose” Lopez
Sports editor
The varsity Natalia Mustangs have ascended to 3-0 in district play , securing the number one seed in the standings. This week, the Mustangs took down the Dilley Wolves in dominant fashion 59-27 then protected home court against the Poteet Aggies, 53-36.
The Mustangs dismantled Dilley on both sides of the ball. The Wolves had no answer for Natalia’s constant rim pressure, shooting a whopping 51% in the paint. The Mustangs took away all three levels of scoring for Dilley, turning 24 turnovers into 28 points. The Wolves could hardly get the ball up the floor, let alone score.
“Our rotations were sharp, we forced turnovers, and that led to easy points in transition. We have to continue finding ways to do those things,” Head coach Justin Welsh said. “The focus has to be consistent every night in district play. I do think this group understands that and their ability to lock in when needed is a big reason we were able to earn a couple wins last week.”
In their win against the Aggies, Natalia immediately fell into their flow of consistent defense, supplemented by steady shotmaking. The Mustangs forced Poteet to cough up the ball 29 times, hindering the Aggies from establishing any kind of foundation offensively. Every time Poteet swung the ball, they were met by a slew of white jerseys and waving arms. Guard Damian Aguinaga led the charge defensively collecting a game-high of six steals. Taking away their opponents offensive rhythm is how the Mustangs dictate the pace of the game and force their opponents to take tough shots. Welsh said the poise and focus comes from their connectivity as a seasoned unit. Their roster is filled with players who have seen their share of battles on the hard wood.
“That experience shows in how they communicate, how they respond when things don’t go our way and how they stay composed throughout the game,” Welsh said. “They’ve put in the time, they trust each other and they understand the moment.”
The win was stamped by senior guard Peyton Alderete scoring the 1000th point against of his high school career. Payton led all scorers with 25 points. Welsh said an accomplishment like this speaks volumes about the impact Alderete has had on Natalia’s program throughout the years and the dedication to the team began his first day on the floor.
“He’s been a major contributor for us for a long time and that consistency is what makes the milestone so meaningful,” Welsh said. “He puts constant pressure on the defense with his ability to shoot and be a playmaker, but he also understands how to get others involved and make the game easier for his teammates.”
The Mustangs look to remain undefeated in the district as they travel to Lytle on Tuesday, Jan. 13 to take on the Pirates then will defend home court against the Hondo Owls on Friday, Jan. 16 at 7:15 p.m.
Stats
Vs. Dilley
Scoring: #1 Damian Aguinaga- 16 pts, #4 Peyton Alderete- 12 pts, #12 Mason Giera- 2 pts, #14 Juan Gonzales- 4 pts, #20 Maddox Corker- 1 pt, #23 RJ De La O- 6 pts, #30 Andrew Monreal- 18 pts
Rebounds: #1 Aguinaga- 2 reb, #4 Alderete- 6 reb, #11 Sebastian Soto- 1 reb, #12 Giera- 7 reb, #14 Gonzales- 7 reb, #20 Corker- 2 reb, #23 RJ- 11 reb (5 offensive), #30 Monreal- 5 reb
Assists: #1 Aguinaga- 3 ast, #4 Alderete- 3 ast, #12 Giera- 1 ast, #14 Gonzales- 3 ast, #30 Monreal- 2 ast
Steals: #1 Aguinaga- 5 stl, #4 Alderete- 6 stl, #14 Gonzales- 3 stl, #23 RJ- 1 stl, #30 Monreal- 3 stl
Blocks: #23 RJ- 1 blk
Vs. Poteet
Scoring: #1 Aguinaga- 11 pts, #4 Alderete- 25 pts, #14 Gonzales- 8 pts, #23 RJ- 7 pts, #30 Monreal- 2 pts
Rebouds: #1 Aguinaga- 6 reb, #4 Alderete- 6 reb, #12 Giera- 5 reb, #14 Gonzales- 2 reb, #23 RJ- 7 reb, #30 Monreal- 1 reb
Assists: #1 Aguinaga- 4 ast, #4 Alderete- 1 ast, #14 Gonzales- 2 ast
Steals: #1 Aguinaga- 6 stl, #4 Alderete- 3 stl, #14 Gonzales- 2 stl, #23 RJ- 4 stl, #30 Monreal- 3 stl
Blocks: #23 RJ- 2 blk