The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team took down the Clarendon Lady Broncos on Saturday evening, 69-60, to claim the 33rd annual Wildcat Classic Championship.
The Lady Cats improve to 12-6 overall on the year.
Kate Shaw dropped in a lay-up on the left side to open the game for Clarendon, but Amoni Jefferson answered with a lay-up on the right side to tie the game, 22. Shaw, again, dropped in a layup for the Lady Broncos, but on the other end, Nevaeh Esquibel dropped in a floater from the right side, drawing an and-one foul on Shaw. She converted the free throw to make the score, 5-4, with 6:10 to play in the opening quarter.
Ari Castillo was fouled on an attempt by Shaw, her second, earning a trip to the line. She converted both shots at the line, and Esquibel followed it up with a drive on the right baseline for a lay-up, making the score, 9-4, with just under five minutes to play in the first quarter. On the other end, Hayes was fouled on an attempt by Jefferson and made one-of-two shots at the line, trimming the lead to, 9-5.
With 3:31 to play in the quarter, Cali Saldana was fouled on an attempt by Kashlyn Conkin; she sank both shots from the line, making the score, 11-5. Castillo followed it up with a drive through the lane for a lay-up and on their next possession, Jefferson drew a foul on Kenidee Hayes, earning a trip to the line. She converted both attempts at the line, making the score, 15-5, with 2:34 to play in the first quarter.
Tandi Cummins, though, would drain a three from the left wing to close out the first quarter with Littlefield in front, 15-8.
Shaw hit Hayes down low for a lay-up to open the second quarter, but Cali Saldana answered with a three from the right elbow, off of the assist from Castillo, making the score, 18-10. On the other end, Hayes was fouled on an attempt by Cobi Saldana and made oneof- two shots from the line, and Kennadie Cummins followed it up with a lay-up in transition off of the assist from Conkin, slicing the lead to, 18-13.
With 5:50 remaining in the half, Esquibel was fouled on an attempt by Hayes, her second. She sank both shots from the line, and Cali Saldana followed it up with a drive on the right side for a lay-up, pushing the lead back out to, 22-13. Hayden Elam buried a three from the top of the key, off of the assist from Hayes and Hayes followed it up with a lay-up on the left side, trimming the lead to, 22-18, with 4:35 remaining in the first half.
Cali Saldana and Conkin exchanged threes, and Cali Saldana drove in for a lay-up on their next possession, stretching the lead to, 27-21, with just over three minutes to play in the half. Littlefield took a time out with 2:21 remaining in the second quarter, and out of the break, Tandi Cummins was fouled on a put-back attempt by Cobi Saldana, her second. She converted both shots from the line to make it a four-point game, 27-23.
Nia Cleveland dropped in a putback off of a miss by Cali Saldana, but Benley Moore responded with a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Shaw, slicing the lead to, 29-26. With just over a minute to go in the half, Cali Saldana sank a three form the left wing off of the assist from Castillo and Castillo followed it up with a dish to Cali Saldana on the twoon- one break for a lay-up to make the score, 34-26. However, in the closing seconds of the half, Moore drained a three from the right wing to trim the lead to, 34-29, going into the locker room at halftime.
Conkin opened up the second half with a three from the left wing, but Madison Williams answered with a jumper from the right wing off of the assist from Jefferson, making the score, 36-32. With 6:22 to play in the third quarter, Castillo was called for a technical foul, putting Hayes on the line. She converted both shots to make it a one-possession game, 36-34.
On the other end, Castillo was fouled on a fast-break attempt by Conkin; she too converted both free throws to stretch the lead to, 38-34. Jefferson followed it up with a lay-up, and on their next possession, Castillo was fouled on an attempt by Shaw, her fourth. Castillo converted both shots at the line to stretch the lead back out to, 42-34.
Elam hit Conkin on a back-door cut for a lay-up, but Jefferson responded on the other end with a lay-up to make the score, 44-36, with just under four minutes to play in the third quarter. Jefferson drove the right side, dropping in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Conkin. She sank the free throw, pushing the lead to, 47-36. Hayes answered with a three from the top of the key for Clarendon, but on the other end, Cobi Saldana was fouled on the floor by Hayes, her third. She made one of twoshots from the line to make it a nine-point Littlefield lead, 48-39.
With 2:14 to play in the third, Hayes was fouled on an attempt by Esqubiel and sank both shots at the line, trimming the lead to, 48-41. Littlefield would respond, as Cobi Saldana hit a cutting Jefferson for a lay- up, but Clarendon would not go away, as Hayes buried a three from the left wing making the score, 50-44, as they took a time out with 1:31 to play in the quarter. Out of the break, Castillo was fouled on the floor by Moore, her second. She converted both shots at the line and with under a minute to play, Castillo was fouled on a put-back attempt by Hayes, her fourth. She split the attempts, pushing their lead to, 5344.
Cali Saldana was fouled at the buzzer on a three-point attempt, by Conkin, her third, she made twoof- three shots from the line to make the score, 55-44, going into the final quarter of play.
Hayes was fouled on an attempt by Williams to open the fourth quarter. She converted both shots at the line, but on the other end, Cali Saldana was fouled on a shot attempt by Shaw, who fouled out of the contest. She sank one-oftwo shots from the line to make it a 10-point game, 56-46. Tandi Cummins dropped in a put-back attempt off of a miss by Kennadie Cummins in transition, but Jefferson answered on the other end, drawing a shooting foul on Kennadie Cummins, her second. She sank both shots at the line to make the score, 58-48, with 4:44 to play in the game.
Conkin answered with a three from the top of the key, as Clarendon took a time out with 4: 09 to play in the contest. Littlefield took a time out with 3:52 remaining to prevent a jumpball, and out of the break, Jefferson dropped in a lay-up off of the inbound pass from Cobi Saldana under the basket to push the lead to, 60-51.
With 3: 26 remaining, Cobi Saldana was fouled on an attempt by Hayes, who fouled out of the contest; she sank one- of- two shots from the line to push the lead to double-digits, 61-51. Moore hit a cutting Elam, who drew a shooting foul on Castillo; she sank oneof- two shots from the line and Gracie Ellis hit Kennadie Cummins on a cut to the basket for a lay-up to cut the lead to, 61-54, with 2:34 left to play.
Cobi Saldana answered with a three from the right elbow off of an assist from Castillo, but on the other end, Conkin was fouled on an attempt by Cobi Saldana, her fourth. She split the attempts at the line, and Cali Saldana responded on the other end with a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Elam. She converted the free throw to make the score, 67-55, with 1:24 to play.
Clarendon would close out the game on a, 5-2, scoring run, as Littlefield went on to take the contest, 69-60.
The Lady Cats were led by Cali Saldana who poured in 24 points, while Jefferson tallied 17 points, and Castillo chipped in 11 points. Esquibel netted seven points, while Cobi Saldana contributed five points and Williams added three points. Cleveland finished with two points in the contest.