The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team closed out the pre-district scheduled with a home win over the Lubbock Christian Eagles, 63-55.
With the win the Wildcats head into district play with an overall mark of 12-2.
The Wildcats opened the contest on a, 5-2, scoring run, after Jeremiah Trevino went coast-tocoast for a lay-up, but on the other end, Cade larson dropped in a put-back off of his own miss, drawing an and- one foul on Omar Martinez. The free throw was good from Larson, tying the game, 5-5, with 5:30 to play in the opening quarter.
Ryan Williams knocked down a jumper from the left elbow and Kam McCarty followed it up with a lay-up off of a steal in their own end, but Micah Strand answered with a three from the right wing to cut the lead to, 9-8. Ryan Williams responded with a put-back off of a miss by MJ Randle and the Wildcats defense followed it up by forcing a 10second call on the Eagles, as Lubbock Christian took a time out with 3:56 to play in the first quarter.
Out of the break, Strand drained another three from the right wing off of the assist from Luke Lee to tie the game, 11-11, and Lee took a charge on Trevino on the defensive end to regain possession for the Eagles. Hays Hubik knocked down another Lubbock Christian three from the left wing and Josh Rogers drove for a lay- up to push the Eagle’s lead to, 16-11, with 1:48 to go in the quarter.
Martinez took a charge on Matt Pascuzzi, but Lubbock Christian picked up a steal on the inbound play and Pascuzzi was fouled on an attempt by Ja’Den Williams. He converted one-of-two shots from the line, making the score, 17-11, as the first quarter came to a close.
Jayden Barrio drove the left baseline for a lay-up to open the second quarter, but Strand buried a three from the right wing, making the score, 20-13, with 6:54 to play in the half. McCarty went coast-to-coast for a Littlefield lay-up and he followed it up with a drive and dish to Trevino, who finished the play with a lay-up to cut the lead to, 20-17, as LCHS tooka time out with 5:17 remaining in the half.
Out of the break, Strand drained another three from the left elbow to make it a six-point game, 23-17, and Hubik followed it up with a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Josephy Fernihough, pushing the lead to, 26-17, with 1:31 to play in the half. Martinez dropped in a floater in the lane off of a miss by Randle, but with under a minute to play in the half, Strand was fouled on an attempt by Randle, earning a trip to the line.
He made one-of-two shots at the line to extend the lead to, 2719. With just under 40 seconds to play in the half, McCarty banked in a lay-up and he followed it up with a defensive rebound on the other end, racing it down court for a floater in the lane to cut the lead to, 27-23.
With time winding down in the half, Strand bounced a pass through traffic to Cooper Carthel for a lay-up to close out the first half with the Eagles in front, 2923.
Ryan Williams sent an outlet pass down court to Martinez for a lay-up to open the second half and McCarty followed it up with a floater from the right side off of the assist from Ryan Williams to make it a one- possession game, 29-27. Randle hit McCarty with outlet pass for a lay-up in transtion to tie the game and with under four mintues to go in the third, Trevino found Martinez on the break for a reverse lay-up, putting the Wildcats in front, 31-29.
Trevino dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Randle, but Carthel dropped in a lay-up in the lane to end the scoring drought for the Eagles. With just over two minutes to play in the quarter, Martinez finished at the rim with a lay-up through contact and McCarty dropped in a lay-up off of a steal in their own end to push the Wildcat lead to, 37-31, as the Eagles took a time out with 1:49 to play in the third.
Out of the break, Rogers was fouled on an attempt by Martinez; he made the first and missed the second, but a lane violation by Ryan Williams gave Rogers an extra attempt, which he converted to trim the lead to, 37-33. McCarty drove the lane and kicked it across to Barrio for a lay-up, but Larson answered with a put-back to cut the lead to, 39-35, with under a minute to go in the quarter.
Fernihough took a charge on McCarty and with 2.6 seconds to play in the quarter, Fernihough drew a shooting foul on McCarty, who picked up his fourth foul of the game. He would convert both free throws to make it a one- possession game, 39-37, going into the final quarter of play.
Fernihough was fouled on an attempt by Sir Pratt to open the fourth quarter and he knocked down both free throws to tie the game, 39-39, but Ryan Williams dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Martinez to regain the lead, 41-39. Strand knocked down a jumper from the left elbow to knot it up once more, 4141, but Ryan Williams answered with a floater on the baseline off of the assist from Barrio to make the score, 43-41.
Larson dropped in a lay-up for the Eagles to tie the game, 43-43 and on the defensive end, Strand took a charge on Barrio to regain possession for LCHS. The Eagles couldn’t capitalize, as Littlefield got the ball back and Ryan Williams buried a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Martinez to reclaim the lead, 46-43, with 4:48 to play in the game.
Fernihough drove the baseline for a reverse lay-up, but Ja’Den Williams grabbed an offensive rebound and dropped in a lay- up, off of the miss by Martinez, pushing their lead to, 48-45. Larson dropped in a putback for the Eagles off of a miss by Strand, but Barrio answered with a put-back of his own on the other end off of the miss by Martinez to make the score, 5047, with 3:11 left to play.
Martinez dished the ball across the lane to Ja’Den Williams in transition for a lay-up, as he drew an and-one foul on Lee. Ja’Den Williams converted the free throw, making the score, 53-47, with 2:43 to play in the game. Martinez passed the ball inside to Trevino, who dished it across the lane to Ja’Den Williams for a lay-up to stretch their lead to, 55-47, and Ja’Den Williams followed it up with an outlet pass to Martinez on the fastbreak for a lay-up, pushing the lead to double-digits, 57-47.
LCHS took a time out with 2:06 to play, and out of the break, Fernihough drove the baseline for a lay-up, however, Martinez answered with a steal, taking it to the hoop for a fast-break layup, drawing an and-one foul on Strand. He converted the free throw to make the score, 60-49, with just under one minute to go in the game.
Fernihough drained a three from the left elbow, but on the next play, Ryan Williams was fouled on the floor by Welker Horn. He made one-of-two shots from the line, making the score, 61-52. Wiht time winding down Strand knocked down a deep three from the left elbow, and afer an LCHS time out, Barrio was fouled on the floor by Hubik. He converted both free throws to ice the game, as Littlefield took the contest, 63-55.
Martinez led the team in scoring with 16 points, to go along with four steals, three assists and two rebounds, while McCarty tallied 14 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists, and Ryan Williams contributed 12 points, two rebounds, two steals and one assist.
Barrio chipped in eight points, one rebound, one assist and one steal, while Ja’Den Williams tallied seven points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal. Trevino contributed six points, four rebound and one assist, while Randle added four steals, two rebounds and three assists and Pratt finished with three rebounds.
The Wildcats opened district play on Tuesday at Brownfield. Results were not available at press time. The Wildcats will host the Wildcat Classic after Christmas Dec. 27th-29th.