Bellaire's junior point guard revels in family support

No matter where Carla Cortijo is, her family is there, too.

When Cortijo, Bellaire's 5-6 junior point guard, is on the court, her father Angel, mother Lourdes and brother Alejandro sit calmly and watch.

When Cortijo toured downtown Houston one evening in the fall, Angel, Lourdes and teammate Brittany Johnson were there.

And when Cortijo, 16, was invited to move to the United States this season, her family uprooted from Puerto Rico and followed her.

"When she was a little girl, like 5, we realized she just had some natural talent," Angel Cortijo said. "It was obvious she had God-given ability. And when she played, she played against older competition. Playing with girls her age was a joke.

"So the long-term goal was to get her here -- to get her to play in the NCAA and to get a good education. I wanted her to have a good education. I could not afford one for her in Puerto Rico."

Cortijo was first noticed in Puerto Rico when the Houston Elite select team played there a few summers ago. She was asked to join the Elite and has played with the team the past two summers.

That was the first step in Angel's plans coming to fruition. This past August, Cortijo and her family became Houston transplants.

Angel, who was born and raised in New York City, got a job teaching Spanish in a Houston Independent School District elementary school. He taught English in Puerto Rico.

Alejandro, 20, enrolled at the University of Houston this semester. He played baseball and basketball as a teenager, but now his interest is in hip-hop music.

When Alejandro could have stayed in Puerto Rico, he opted to follow his sister. That was the family goal, since they all realize how talented she is.

"Oh, I had to come to be with my sister and help her live her dream," Alejandro said. "I love Carla so much. I want her to be happy. Being here makes her happy. That makes her family happy."

Lourdes said she once thought it would be Alejandro whose athletic talent would open doors.

"I didn't think it would be Carla getting all the attention," Lourdes said through Angel, who was interpreting. "But I am very happy. But it's hard to sit and watch these close games. I get nervous."

Lourdes might have difficulty watching some intense games, but Bellaire is enjoying a ride it has never had before. The Cardinals were known to have shooters, but now they have a bona fide point guard.

"When we got Carla, we got not just a good basketball player but a smart player," junior wing Bianca Smith said. "We got someone who can get the ball to us."

Before Cortijo's arrival, Bellaire went 22-10 last season and made it to the playoffs as the third-place team in District 18-5A. The Cardinals advanced to the area round and lost to eventual regional champ Hightower. They have never advanced past the second round.

This season, Bellaire (25-6) knocked off defending regional finalist Dulles in the Fort Bend ISD Tournament, defeated Class 4A top-ranked Bay City 59-57, knocked off Washington by 21 points and upset district front-runner Madison 60-49. Cortijo scored a game-high 23 points against Madison.

On Monday night, Bellaire breezed to an 84-46 bi-district win over Austin.

"We've got a team that is able to do more with Carla here," Johnson said. "We feel there is no limit to where we can go. We feel we are going to regionals and to state."

When asked how far Bellaire is going this season, Cortijo smiles and says, "Au-stin." It didn't take long for her to learn where to find the ultimate prize in Texas high school sports.

"It's been great here, because I get to play with and against good players, and I am getting a great education," a smiling Cortijo said. "We have a team that's good."

But it is Cortijo who has made the Cardinals a team to watch and envy.

"We have shooters," Bellaire coach Mike Kramer said. "We just needed someone to get the ball to them."

Cortijo has filled the stands of Butler Fieldhouse in the process. Her ball-handling skills are unparalleled at the high school level. She dribbles low and quick. She's got fast hands. And her passing makes even opponents say "ooh."

"Carla's bad," Westfield senior forward and preseason player of the year Tye Jackson said. "The girl can handle that rock."

With all the hype coming Cortijo's way, Angel said he and Lourdes have tried to make sure she stays grounded.

Cortijo was named a preseason Greater Houston first-team player. She's played at the elite Adidas Top 10 camp. She got a call a couple of weeks ago from Puerto Rico saying the national federation wants her to be its point guard of the future.

"We always told Carla that her attitude would affect people more than her ability," Angel said. "She's a team player. She loves it here. They love her. We're just amazed at the warm reception."

What amazes Cortijo and makes her give 100 percent on the court or in the classroom is her family's love for her.

"I was here by myself for a few months over the summer, but when they got here, I was relieved," Cortijo said. "It wasn't hard without them. I think you can achieve any dream you have if you work hard and believe."