BY HENRY MILLER

If you missed the entire girls high school basketball season this year and wanted to see which team or teams were the cream of the crop, all you would have to do is look at the all-district selection.

Yup, the Mercedes Tigers girls team was that good. (so were the boys – we’ll tell you more about them next week.

Consider the following accolades.

Most Valuable Players: Mika Vento and Jazmin Flores.

First Team All District: Sellie Gonzalez and Mallory Noriega.

Honorable Mentions: Risa Moya, Domonique Gonzalez and Reeana De La Torre.

There’s seven of them. And remember, there are only five starters so to get seven players named to the all-district list is a stunning accomplishment.

Well, seven players – and a coach. Santiago Rivas made it a clean sweep for the top awards by being selected district coach of the year.

Having a 13-1 district record, knocking off perennial super power Brownsville Veterans and having the district champions at the JV Dark level is all part of what looks to be a long run at or near the top of the stands for the Lady Tigers.

Rivas had a team comprised of players who filled out every position – did he need a 3-point shooter, he had one or two; did he need to get the ball inside, he had the guards and the post players to run that as well. Defensively, the team as solid, even deeper than the seven who received accolades.

Rivas talked about how winning district – pulling it from what had been a steel grip by Brownsville Veterans meant so much – especially after being predicted by some pundits to finish fourth in the district this year.

It was nothing more than fuel for a fire that burned brightly all season.

Sure, the girls felt disrespected but there are only a few ways to respond – one is to prove those prognosticators wrong. They took their beating from teams like Harlingen, Harlingen South and PSJA North. But after each loss, a tougher, wiser Mercedes team took the court. Then the breakthroughs followed.

“We knew Brownsville Vets and Donna were going to be our toughest opponents in district.”

And they beat them both.

Both times.

“Our district was very competitive and we had several close games but the girls were able to pull out those wins and finished district 13-1,” Rivas said. “This team is a special group of young ladies who always put the team first.”

“Jazmin Flores is a fierce competitor, ran the point, played great defense and led the Valley in assists and steals,” Rivas said as he went down the list. “Sellie Gonzales led the team in scoring, can attack the basket and shoot from the outside. Mike Vento is very athletic and leads the team in rebounds and blocked shots and can play just about anywhere.

“Mallory Noriega leads the team in 3s and is just a sophomore but has made key shots in big games. Reeana De La Torre is another sophomore who plays tough underneath and out hustles opposing players.”

And each one of those names – and a few others – brought home a district championship and a memorable 2018-19 season to Mercedes High School. By the looks of the future, there will be a few more great chapters written.