Basketball Game Preview: La Joya Coyotes vs. Rio Grande City Rattlers

The La Joya Coyotes will challenge the Rio Grande City Rattlers at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday.

La Joya is headed into the matchup having just suffered their biggest loss since November 21, 2024 on Tuesday. They were dealt an 80-52 defeat at the hands of Vela. The Coyotes were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 49-17.

Despite the loss, La Joya saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Anthony Romero went 11-for-26 to rack up 31 points and eight boards. Another player making a difference was David Garcia, who posted four points and nine rebounds.

Meanwhile, Rio Grande City had to travel to play their first game of the season, but the final result was worth the trip. They walked away with a 50-41 win over Pharr-San Juan-Alamo on Tuesday.

Rio Grande City's win came from a few key players La Joya will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Giovanni Valenciana, who put up 16 points. Louie Falcon was another key player, putting up 11 points.

La Joya beat Rio Grande City 56-49 in their previous matchup back in November of 2023. Will the Coyotes repeat their success, or do the Rattlers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.