The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team took down the Blue Ridge Lady Tigers on Saturday,61-24, to take third place in the 2023 Roosevelt Basketball Tournament.
With the win, the Lady Cats finsih tournament play, 3-1, as they improve to 7-3 overall on the season.
Miranda Caro was fouled on an attempt by Amiah Elizondo to open the contest. She made one of two shots from the line, but Arianna Cruz answered with a three from the right elbow off of the inbound pass from Marysa Saenz, putting the Lady Cats in front, 3-1. Kennadi Hanlin followed it up with a jumper from the right elbow off of the screen from Elizondo, stretchingtheir lead to, 5-1, with just over six minutes to play in the opening quarter.
Hanlin was fouled on an attempt by Rylan Smith and she split the free throws to extend their lead to, 6-1, before Smith knocked down a jumper from the right elbow to trim the lead to, 6-3, with 4:43 to play in the first quarter. Blue Ridge took a time out to prevent a turnover with 3:57 to play in the first, and out of the break, Caro dropped in a lay-up off of the inbound play from the sideline to make it a onepoint game, 6-5.
Elizondo dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Cruz, but on the other end, Caro was fouled on an attempt, earning a trip to the line with 2:46 to play in the quarter. She converted btoh free throws, but Cruz again answered for the Lady Cats, as she buried a three from the right wing, off of the assist from Jazmine Rosalez, making the score, 11-7. Mackenzie Baker fired right back for the Lady Tigers with a three from the left elbow, but Ari Castillo responded with a lay-up on the other end, off of the assist from Hanlin, making the score, 13-10.
With 1:50 remaining in the quarter, Rosalez picked up a steal in their own end and got it to Hanlin for a quick lay-up and Cruz followed it up with a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Hanlin to push their lead to, 18-10. with time winding down in the quarter, Smith grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back up for a bucket, making the score, 18-12, as the first quarter came to a close.
Rosalez picked up a steal to open the second frame, and Cruz scored on a put-back off of the miss by Rosalez on the fast-break, making the score, 20-12. Hanlin followed it up with a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Cruz, as Blue Ridge took a time out with 6:52 to play in the half. Out of the break, Hanlin was fouled on an attempt by Caro, earning a trip to the line. She made one-of-two shots from the line, extending their lead to, 24-12.
The Lady Tigers scored a bucket in transition, but Cruz answered with a pull-up three, drawing an and-one foul on Blue Ridge. She converted the free throw to push their lead to, 28-14, with 4:31 remaining in the half. Littlefield took a time out with 4:24 to play in the half, and out of the break, Cruz took a charge onAvery Wood to regain possession for Littlefield.
The Lady Cats couldn’t capitalize, as Madison Martinez picked up a steal from Saenz and dropped in a quick lay-up to cut the lead to, 28-16. With 1:50 to play in the half, Hanlin was fouled on the floor and converted both free throws, pushing their lead to, 30-16. Hanlin was fouled again on an attempt by Smith with 1:25 to play in the half and she made the first free throw, but missed the second, however a tie-up gave Littlefield the ball with the score, 31-16.
With time winding down in the half, Danica Jouett knocked down a jumper from the left wing off of the assist from Hanlin, making the score, 33-16, going into the locker room at halftime.
Hanlin opened the second half with a lay-up and then followed it up with a steal on defense, as she took it to the hoop for a fast-break bucket, stretching their lead to, 37-16. With 4:18 to play in the third quarter, Martinez dropped in a lay-up, drawing an andone foul on Castillo. She missed the free throw, leaving the score, 37-18. On the other end, Hanlin dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Izzy Jackson. She converted the free throw to stretch their lead to, 40-18, with just under four minutes to go in the quarter.
Jouett lobbed a pass over the defense to Elizondo for a lay-up, but Caro answered with a steal, taking it in for the fast-break lay-up to trim the lead to, 42-20, with just over two minutes to play in the quarter. Saenz split a pair of free throws and Jouett scored a lay-up off of the assist from Rosalez, stretching the lead to, 45-20. with under a minute to go in the quarter, Saenz scored a put-back off a miss by Hanlin, making the score, 47-20, going into the final quarter of play.
Elizondo dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Castillo to open the fourth quarter and on their next possession, Castillo spun into the lane dumping the ball off to Elizondo for a lay-up, pushing their lead to, 51-20, with 6:11 to play in the game. Blue Ridge took a time out and out of the break, Jackson was fouled on an attempt by Saenz. She plit the free throws and Jouett answered with a lay-up off of the assist form Rosalez, making the score, 53-20.
Baker knocked down a three from the left elbow, but Littlefield answered with an, 8-0, scoring run to close out the game, as they took the contest, 61-24.
Hanlin led the team in scoring with 19 points, to go along with six rebounds and one assist, while Cruz joined her inn double figures scoring with 19 points, six rebounds and six assists. Elizondo tallied eight points and six rebounds, while Jouett chipped in eight points, one rebound and one assist.
Castillo tallied four points, four rebounds and two assists, while Saenz finished with three points, six rebounds and two assists and Rosalez added three assists and one rebound.
The Lady Cats hosted Floydada on Tuesday. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Thursday when they travel to Farwell for their second tournament of the season. Brackets are TBA.