Harvest Christian takes down tournament host La Feria to win Tommie Wiseman tourney

LA FERIA — Harvest Christian has the capabilities to blow teams out, having won majority of its games by more than 20 points this season and it looked like the Eagles would pull away from hosts of the Tommie Wiseman tournament, La Feria, after a 30-19 halftime lead.

The Lionettes fought back, but it was the Eagles that finished the strongest to take the 50th annual Tommie Wiseman tournament, winning 58-51 Saturday evening in La Feria.

La Feria tied the game at 51, and on the next possession Harvest Christian junior Jamie Gonzalez gave the Eagles a 54-51 lead on an old-fashioned 3-pointer. The Lionettes could not answer.

“Credit to La Feria, they never gave up,” Harvest Christian head coach Jaime Gonzalez said. “We made some mistakes that helped them stay in this ball game. We were never able to put them away and we just got to learn from it.”

Being in a close game is a double-edged sword for Gonzalez, the stress is not fun, but the Eagles are going to want experience being in these situations.

“I have some young girls on this team, we are all learning the process. So, getting the older girls to gel with the newer girls and building chemistry is what it is all about right now. We have been able to win through the process, but that is where we are at right now, finding our identity – we are getting there.”

La Feria’s Alesandra Torres brings the ball up court in the 50th annual Tommie Wiseman tournament championship Saturday in La Feria. (Andrew Cordero/Special to RGVSports)

La Feria’s turnaround in the second half was a team effort. Six different Lionettes scored a basket in the fourth quarter.

Junior post Maxine Rivera led La Feria with 13 points. The Lionettes have graduated post players the last couple seasons, so Rivera playing this well makes La Feria really well-rounded.

La Feria guards Rianna Gonzalez, Alesandra Torres and Reandra Castillo combined for 25 points. The Lionettes turned it up in the second half and will have a chance to run it back against the Eagles, back-to-back TAPPS 1A state champs, on the 16th at home again.

Harvest Christian started composed with senior Riley McClaugherty scoring 11 of her team’s 17 points in the first quarter. McClaughtery had a game-high 23 points.

Harvest Christian’s Riley McClaughtery against La Feria in the 50th annual Tommie Wiseman tournament championship Saturday in La Feria. (Andrew Cordero/Special to RGVSports)

“I knew I had to step it up in order for us to win this tournament,” she said. “This morning, my teammates really picked it up and helped us with the first win.”

Jamie Gonzalez finished with 21 points. Cat Bernal had 8 and Ava Cisneros scored 6 points for the Eagles. Bernal and Cisneros had timely 3-pointers in the second half.

Harvest Christian meets Class 6A powers Harlingen and Edinburg High next week while La Feria takes on La Joya High.

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