Horeb Christian’s Rodriguez leads program to new heights
The game of basketball wasn’t very glamorous for Emely Rodriguez growing up in her hometown of La Romana in the Dominican Republic.
It often included pickup games, playing against boys, which often left her with bumps and bruises from the physical play.
But those days developed the toughness and fluid skills Rodriguez is now showing regularly as a starting forward on the Horeb Christian girls’ basketball team.
“As a kid, every day I fell more and more in love with the game,” Rodriguez said in Spanish. “I enjoy every minute I’m on the court.”
Rodriguez has played organized basketball for only six years.
She’s in only her first season playing high school basketball in the United States since coming over from her home country.
But it hasn’t taken long for her to become one of the most dominant players in South Florida.
Rodriguez gave another display on Thursday night when she scored 34 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Mustangs (16-4) to a comfortable 71-35 victory over Merritt Island Christian in a Region 4-2A quarterfinal at the Miami Lakes Educational Center gym.
Rodriguez, who measures 6-foot-1, is averaging 26.1 points, 15.6 rebounds, 5.8 steals, 4.9 assists and 2.5 blocks per game. Rodriguez has recorded a double-double in all 16 games she has played.
Rodriguez has already drawn offers from two Division I programs,
South Florida and Mississippi State, according to Horeb Christian coach Agustin Pelaez, as well as interest from a few others.
Although Class 2A isn’t replete with tough competition, Rodriguez has shown her skills against some of the state’s best.
Earlier this season, she had 34 points and 17 rebounds against defending 6A state champion St. Thomas Aquinas, 31 points and 11 rebounds against 7A finalist Miami High, and 21 points and 19 rebounds against seven-time state champion Miami Country Day.
“The best thing about her is her humility,” Pelaez said. “A lot of bigtime athletes can come in with an attitude, but she’s team-first and the first one to own up to it when she makes a mistake.”
Rodriguez’s arrival has elevated the Mustangs to new heights.
Last week, they won the school’s first district championship.
The Mustangs are ranked fourth in the state in Class 2A, according to the Florida High School Athletic Association’s power rankings, and are currently the favorite to win Region 4 and advance to the state final four Feb. 22-25 in Lakeland.
To get there, Horeb Christian will have to beat Archbishop Carroll on Tuesday in the regional semifinals and likely overcome its biggest obstacle in two-time defending state champion Miami Christian in the regional finals.
“It’s an honor to make history for this school, but we need to keep working to get to our main goal,” Rodriguez said. “From the start of the season we’ve been working hard to make our dream happen to get to Lakeland and win a championship.”
Rodriguez grew up watching WNBA star Candace Parker dominate on the pro level.
Rodriguez’s tall frame, her ability to run the floor effectively and solid midrange and outside shot in addition to her skills near the rim resemble her idol’s style of play.
Rodriguez said she is the first person in her family to play basketball.
She grew up in a tough situation in La Romana with her four siblings — three sisters and one brother who played baseball — all of whom were raised alone by their mother.
Rodriguez, who attended school in the Dominican her first two years of high school and now lives with her legal guardians in Miami, says her hope is to make a career for herself in basketball and help her family.
“She’s a big mismatch for teams because most bigs can’t move that well,” Pelaez said. “But she has a feel for the game, too.
“She wants to get to a place where she can change her life for herself and for her family.”
MORE RESULTS
Region 4-4A quarterfinal — Cardinal Gibbons 82, Coral Springs Charter 27: Taylor Williams had 20 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals to lead the Chiefs (20-5) to the comfortable win over the Panthers (14-6). Savanna
Nicholson had 13 points while Brooke Buckman scored 11 points, grabbed four rebounds and drew two charging calls.
Kayla Greyvensteyn also had 11 points, five rebounds and three assists. Makayla Midgett had nine points and six steals.
4 -7A: Miami High 62, Cypress Bay 33; Palmetto 42, Western 26; Coral Springs 43, Doral Academy 33.
4-6A: Blanche Ely 85, Lourdes 27; Seminole Ridge 42, South Broward 26; St. Thomas Aquinas 85, Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer 33; Dillard 53, Everglades 32
4-5A: American Heritage 78, North Miami 20; Melbourne Eau Gallie 49, Northwestern 36; Norland 42, Northeast 29.
4-4A: North Broward Prep 72, St. Brendan 41; Monsignor Pace 55,
SLAM 54; Somerset Canyons 65, Mater Lakes 57
4-3A: Miami Country Day 66, Boca St. Andrews 37; Somerset Prep 50, Palmer Trinity 45; Somerset Silver Palms 63, Carrollton 43; Westminster Academy 72, Ransom Everglades 36.
4 -2A: Archbishop Carroll 53, Hebrew Academy 43; Miami Christian 56, Atlantic Christian 12.
TUESDAY’S REGIONAL SEMIFINALS
All games at 7 p.m. unless noted.
4 -7A: Palmetto at Miami High; Coral Springs at Boca Raton
4-6A: Dillard at St. Thomas Aquinas; Seminole Ridge at Blanche Ely
4-5A: Melbourne Eau Gallie at American Heritage; Jensen Beach at Norland
4-4A: Monsignor Pace at Cardinal Gibbons; Boynton Beach Somerset Canyons at North Broward Prep
4-3A: Somerset Prep at Miami Country Day; Somerset Silver Palms at Westminster Academy
4 -2A: West Palm Beach Berean Christian at Miami Christian; Archbishop Carroll vs. Horeb Christian (Miami Lakes Tech).
Andre C. Fernandez: @FernandezAndreC