The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team came out on fire in their final game of the Wildcat Classic Championship, as they took down New Home, 61-44, to take the Championship game and finish the Tournament 3-0.
The Wildcats improve to 11-6 overall on the year.
Chip Green got the Wildcats going with a three from the left elbow, but New Home’s Zack Armes answered with a three of his own from the left elbow to tie the game, 3-3. Kam McCarty drove the left side for a lay-up for Littlefield and Ryan Williams went up and under on the right side for a lay-up to push their lead to, 7-3, with 5:34 remaining in the opening quarter.
The Wildcat scoring run continued, as McCarty drained a three from the right elbow, off of an assist from Green and on their next possession, McCarty tipped a loose ball out in front to Jayden Barrio, who finished through contact at the rim, stretching their lead to, 12-3. Green knocked down a three from the right elbow off of an assist from Williams and Williams followed it up with a three from the left elbow off of an assist from Barrio, extending their lead to, 18-3, as New Home took a time out with 2:41 to play in the opening quarter.
Out of the break, Grayson Evans knocked down a three from the left elbow to end the scoring drought for New Home and Caleb Cook dropped in a floater in the lane to trim the lead to, 18-8, with 1:25 to play in the first quarter. Bryson Beck bounced a pass to Colby Cook for a lay-up, but Sammy Saenz answered with a three from the left elbow, off of the assist from Barrio to make the score, 21-10.
In the closing seconds of the first quarter, Nate Castaneda dished the outlet pass down court to Barrio on the fast-break, who beat the buzzer with a lay-up to make the score, 23-10, as the first quarter came to a close.
Green opened the second quarter with a three from the left wing off of the assist from Barrio, but on the next play, Armes took a charge on Saenz to regain possession for the Leopards. Calab Cook took advantage of the turnover, as he knocked down a three from the right elbow, but Green answered with back-to-back triples to stretch the Wildcat lead to 29--13, with 6:37 to play in the first half.
Williams dropped in a floater in the lane, but Caleb Cook responded with a jumper from the left elbow, drawing an and-one foul on Saenz, his second. He converted the free throw, trimming the lead to, 31-16. Armes took a charge on Eizeah Coleman, but the Wildcats would regain possession, as Green buried a three from the right elbow off of an assist from Williams, making the score, 34-16.
With under four minutes to play in the half, Williams hit Green in transition for a lay-up, but on the other end, Jake Fogerson was fouled on a put-back attempt by Castaneda. He split the free throw attempts, making the score, 36-17. McCarty drove the right baseline, hitting Ben Castillo with a no-look pass under the basket for a lay-up to make the score, 38-17.
Armes drew a blocking foul on Jose Payan; he sank both attempts from the line, but Littlefield would again respond, as McCarty drove the left side for a lay-up, and Green followed it up with a deep three from the top of the key, pushing the lead to, 43-19, with just under a minute to play in the half. With time winding down in the half, Green knocked down a three from the top of the key, his seventh of the half, as the Wildcats took a 4619, lead into the locker room at halftime.
McCarty opened the second half with a three from the top of the key, but Evans answered with a floater on the other end, making the score, 49-21. With 5:46 to play in the third quarter, McCarty scored a lay-up on a fast-break, but on the other end, Caleb Cook was fouled on an attempt by Williams; he sank both shots from the line to make the score, 51-23.
Colby Cook hit Fogerson for a break-away slam on a fast-break and Colby Cook followed it up with a floater in transition, but Littlefield again had the answer, as Green drove the lane, kicking it out to Castaneda, who drained a three from the left wing, making the sore, 54-27, with 4:25 to play in the third quarter.
Armes knocked down a three from the right elbow for New Home, but McCarty drove in for a lay-up on the left side, stretching the lead to, 56-30. Caleb Cook answered with back-to-back floaters in the lane, but with under a minute to play, Williams was fouled on the floor by Armes, his second. Williams split the attempts at the line, making the score, 57-34. On the other end, Kaden McDonald was fouled on a put-back attempt by Saenz, his third. He split the attempts, making the score, 57-35, going into the final quarter of play.
Fogerson opened the fourth quarter with a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Castaneda, his second, He converted the free throw to make the score, 57-38. On the other end, Williams knocked down a jumper from the left baseline, but Evans responded with a floater in the lane for New Home, trimming the lead to, 59-40.
Littlefield took a time out with 6:16 to play in the contest, and out of the break, Williams was fouled on an attempt by Fogerson. He converted both shots at the line to make the score, 61-40. Caleb Cook knocked down a pull-up jumper in the lane, and Armes was fouled on their next possession by Saenz, his fourth. Armes converted both shots from the line to trim the lead to, 61-44.
Castillo chased down an offensive rebound, as Littlefield took a time out to prevent a turnover, as the Wildcats went on to take the contest, 61-44.
The Wildcats were led by Green, who finished with 23 points, nine rebounds and two assists, while McCarty tallied 14 points, three assists and two rebounds, and Williams chipped in 12 points, six rebounds and three assists. Barrio contributed four points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal, while Castaneda tallied three points, four rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal, and Saenz added three points, two steals and one rebound.
Castillo finished with two points and two rebounds, while Payan added one assist and one rebound in the contest.