Four takeaways from Pueblo East vs. Pueblo Central

The South-Central League finally began Tuesday night with three girls games taking place, including Pueblo Central at Pueblo East in the Southwest Motors Event Center. Here are four takeaways from the matchup featuring two teams on the bubble in the RPI standings. <strong>Pueblo East sophomore <span style="color: #3366ff">Harlie Medrano</span> is about to have a breakout league season</strong> Medrano entered league play averaging 7.8 points per game, but the sophomore went off Tuesday with 19 points to lead the Eagles (5-9, 1-0 S-CL) in a 53-23 win over Pueblo Central (5-9, 0-1 S-CL). Whether it was using her 6-foot frame to grab boards underneath or stepping out and knocking down one of her two made 3-pointers, Medrano did a little bit of everything. "That's Harlie, she's young, she's only a sophomore, but she's a tremendous athlete," Pueblo East coach Steve Gradisar said. "She understands the game. She's growing and growing every week and every game she's learning to play the game better and better." Toward the end of the game on a fastbreak, Medrano delivered a perfect bounce pass between two Wildcat defenders for an easy layup to teammate <strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Evelin Valdez</span></strong>. Medrano already had a breakout fall for the volleyball team with a team-high 26 blocks and she took fourth in state in the shotput last Spring as a freshman. 2020 could be the coming out party for Medrano on the basketball hardwood. <strong>The Eagles are scary when their shooters are on</strong> With Medrano presenting a problem down low and around the arc, plus freshman <strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Grace Helzer</span></strong> providing another big frame in the paint, the Eagles are able to space the floor well. Senior guards Evelin Valdez and <strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Jaylene Escajeda</span></strong> provided great ball movement for the Eagles and made cuts through some screens to get open and knock down five 3-pointers between the two of them. Valdez finished with 15 points while Escajeda chipped in eight. If the Eagles, who are now No. 49 in the latest RPI standings, can get shooting and a complete offense like that in league play, they could be dangerous. "When we shoot and we're all together as one, I think we can make a run against anybody in the city," Medrano said. <strong><span style="color: #0000ff"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jocelyn-marquez/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jocelyn-marquez/">Jocelyn Marquez</a></a></span> will still be an S-CL standout</strong> [caption id="attachment_138727" align="alignright" width="300"] Pueblo Central High School's <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jocelyn-marquez/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jocelyn-marquez/">Jocelyn Marquez</a></a> runs the floor during a fastbreak Jan. 21 against Pueblo East.[/caption] The Pueblo Central senior didn't have her best night by posting only eight points and being on the wrong side of a 30-point loss. Marquez was dealing with some pain in her legs as she spent all of halftime outside of the locker room trying to get stretched out. Her 13.2 points per game is still fourth in the S-CL while the game Tuesday was just the Wildcats second of the 2020 portion of the season. Marquez is still a dynamic playmaker who has a knack for making tight-window passes or knocking down a shot from anywhere on the court. Look for her and Pueblo Central to rebound Thursday when it takes on Pueblo South. <strong>Pueblo East is only getting better</strong> The Eagles and Wildcats met up early in the season on Dec. 12 in which Pueblo Central walked away with a 45-41 victory. A month or so later, the Eagles took home a 30-point win. That shows how far the young and inexperienced Eagles have come over the last month of work. Pueblo East looks as if it will be a lower seed if it makes in into the playoffs, but with the continued growth from a team filled with sophomores, the Eagles could be dangerous for any top seed.