By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
There’s no rest for the Del Rio Queens basketball team.
The squad, under second-year head coach Marisa Soto, as nine games under its belt thus far with one more tournament ahead of them before they begin district play.
This year’s team is filled with experienced players and hopeful newcomers. All-district selection Joselyn Gonzalez returns as do three-year varsity members Nelly Robles and Annette Betancourt. Karolina Alderete, Makayla Lewis and Marina Jimenez also return from last year’s squad.
One of the biggest names to watch, though she’s not one of the biggest players on the court, is freshman Ayla Elizondo, the younger sister of Rams basketball standout Alessandro Elizondo. Like her big brother, the younger Elizondo has cut her teeth on traveling teams since her youth and has been around the Del Rio High School basketball programs since she was big enough to dribble as basketball thanks to her father, Rams assistant coach Rudy Elizondo.
Del Rio opened the season with a tough 51-44 loss to former district foe Laredo Nixon. The Queens rallied after being outscored 15-3 in the first quarter, outscoring Nixon in the fourth, 19-10.
Gonzalez led the Queens with 10 points and five steals. She also had nine rebounds. Alderete had nine points and 12 rebounds. Alizandra Garcia had six points, Lewis had three points, and Elizondo, Alexia Muñiz, Robles, Jimenez and Betancourt each had two points. Lewis also had three assists.
The Queens earned their first win of the season against Devine, 44-38.
Elizondo led the team with 12 points and had five steals. Jimenez had nine points, eight rebounds and four assists, Betancourt had six points, 12 rebounds and five steals, Alderete and Robles each had five points, and Gonzalez and Lewis each had four points.
Next up for the Queens was the Harlandale Tournament. Del Rio went 2-3 in the tournament and did not place any of its players on the all-tournament team.
Del Rio lost its first game to Alamo Heights, 75-46. Muñiz had 10 points, Garcia had nine points, Jimenez had five points, Alderete, Gonzalez and Robles each had four points, Kaitlin Lewis and Makayla Lewis each had three points, and Elizondo and Betancourt had two points each.
The Queens lost their second game to McCollum, 71-47. Elizondo and Gonzalez each had 14 points, Alderete finished with six points, Garcia and Betancourt each had four points, Muñiz and Robles had two points, and Makayla Lewis had one point.
Del Rio earned a win in its third game, beating Kennedy, 67-29. Garcia led Del Rio with 13 points. Makayla Lewis had 12 points and Elizondo added 10 points. Betancourt had nine points, Gonzalez had eight points, Alderete had seven points, and Kaitlyn Lewis and Jimenez each had four points.
The Queens evened their tournament record with a 54-41 win over Del Valle. Muñiz had 15 points to lead Del Rio. Jimenez had 11 points, Gonzalez had 10 points, Alderete had six points, Elizondo had four points, Makayla Lewis had three points, Garcia and Betancourt each had two points, and Kaitlyn Lewis had one point.
In their final game of the tournament, Del Rio lost a nail-biter to Medina Valley, 57-53. Muñiz and Gonzalez each led the Queens with 12 points apiece. Elizondo had seven points, Alderete had five points, Garcia and Jimenez each had four points, and Makayla Lewis, Robles and Betancourt each had three points.
The Queens were scheduled to host South San Tuesday night. Their next home game will be Dec. 13 at 6:30 p.m. against Carrizo Springs.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
