Hanna Eagles Pull Away Late to Defeat La Feria

By RAUL GARCIA | LA FERIA JOURNAL

The Hanna Eagles used a fast tempo and timely shooting to pull away from La Feria and secure a 54–40 victory, turning a tight early contest into a double-digit win.

Hanna struck first when Hanna’s Max Pena knocked down a three-pointer, followed by second-chance points off missed shots to take an early 5–4 lead. La Feria responded, but the Eagles continued to push the pace. Hanna’s Carlos Solis scored down low to give Hanna a 10–7 advantage as the Eagles’ pressure defense kept the Lions working for every basket.

La Feria answered with energy as Nikko Zapata came up with a steal and finished strong on a slash to the basket, tying the game at 10–10 late in the first quarter. Hanna worked the clock in the final seconds, but La Feria grabbed momentum when Aiden Lopez scored in the paint to briefly take the lead.

Hanna reclaimed control when Aiden Ramos converted a three-point play at the free-throw line, giving the Eagles a 13–12 edge heading into the second quarter.

The Eagles opened the second period on a strong run, scoring three straight baskets to build a 20–12 lead. Adam Talamantez got things started, followed by a three-pointer from JJ Gutierez and a layup by Max Pena. Gutierez  stayed hot, knocking down two more three-pointers to extend the margin to 36–26.

La Feria tried to slow the momentum as Jake Martinez came up with a big block at the rim. The Lions capitalized in transition when Izaiah Aldape attacked the lane and earned a trip to the free-throw line, cutting the lead to 38–28 with 2:39 remaining. A return trip to the line made it 38–29, but Hanna answered quickly.

Hanna’s Alfredo Galarza came up with a steal, raced down the court, split defenders, and finished at the basket—then followed it up with another score to push the lead to 42–29. 

The Lions struggled to score consistently against Hanna’s defense, despite showing flashes of speed and strength in transition. Hanna, however, continued to convert on its possessions, taking a 46–35 lead into the late stages.