Pioneer puts it away in crunch time against PSJA North

PHARR — District play for 31-5A started off with two of the top teams in the Rio Grande Valley with PSJA North (14-8, 0-1) hosting the Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks (12-7, 1-0). Pioneer won the phsyical matchup, 62-59.

Prior to this game, these two squads faced in the City of Palms tournament in McAllen, in which Pioneer also won by 3 points, and took third place in that tournament.

Muhamed Shaath had a game high 26 points for Sharyland Pioneer, with a notable 8 for 8 at the free throw line. He had a double double on the night with 13 rebounds — 8 coming on the defensive side.

Physicality is what both of these teams do best, with every shot being contested and every drive to the basket having defenders crash down to prevent easy lay ins.

In the first quarter, a quick 9-1 run by the Diamondbacks after a lay up by Shaath forced a Raiders' timeout with 3:07 in the first quarter. PSJA North had a tough time getting anything going. After the timeout, Matthew Archer hit a tough, contested lay up to mend the deficit.

With less than a minute in the first, a three pointer by PSJA North's Mason Lopez cut the lead to 11-8, but after the first it was 14-10, Pioneer. Lopez had 17 points on the night.

In the second, a Pioneer turnover at the start led to Isaiah Galvan capitalizing with a three of his own from the left wing, as well as a floater, which gave the Raiders a 15-14 lead at the 6-minute mark.

However, Shaath's back door cut to the basket as the quarter ensued tied it at 19. Free throws, which ailed North, had Pioneer leading at the half 23-21.

Pioneer had as much as a 9-point lead in the third as a spark from Damian Gonzalez and Kaleb Cano helped elevate the Diamondbacks to keep the lead over PSJA North. Gonzalez had 15, while Cano had 14 — knocking down 2 three-pointers on the night.

Defensive full-court pressure by the Raiders did give the ball back to PSJA North in the fourth which helped them cut into the lead. Jalen Ramos — who had 16 points — knocked down a layup to put the deficit at 6 with 35 seconds left in the game. 

Pioneer kept the six-point lead in crunch time. Archer, who had 9 points, knocked down a three to put the deficit at 3, but with no timeouts left, the Raiders couldn't stop the clock.

The Diamondbacks will travel back home and play McAllen Memorial on Friday at 7:30 p.m. PSJA North travels to Edinburg to take on the Vela SaberCats at the same time.