SAN ANTONIO – With the high school basketball playoffs looming, the Southside girls’ basketball team (18-10) is set out for redemption.
“We stay hype, we stay humble and ready to play,” Lady Cardinals junior guard McKayla Flores said. “We stay focused on the game.”
The Lady Cardinals failed to make the postseason last year after two star players suffered season-ending injuries during the most important stretch of their district schedule.
This time around, the young group is healthy and eager to prove heart and desire can win games — despite Southside boasting one of the smaller lineups in the district.
“It definitely makes us hungrier to dive for every ball,” junior point guard Gabryela Galvan said. “We always want to be the first ones to the ball. We always want to use our body first, we always want to be the ones to initiate everything so we can have the better advantage.”
That encapsulates Southside’s brand: Out hustle the competition.
“Before the game, we do pray. We always tell each other we’re going to go be dogs out there,” Flores said. “We’re going to leave it all out there.”
All while never forgetting to enjoy the moment.
“Take a step back and just enjoy it. It’s fun, it’s exciting, it’s something new for some of them,” 10-year head coach Jessica Cardenas said. “Enjoy it.”
The Cardinals earned the third seed in District 28-5A and will face two-seed Burbank of District 27-5A in the Class 5A bi-district championship on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. inside the Alamo Convocation Center.
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