The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team moved into sole possession of first place in district 3-3A with a, 76-32, victory on the road over the Brownfield Lady Cubs.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 12-5 overall, 3-0 in district play.
Kennadi Hanlin opened the contest with a jumper from the right side and on the next play, Amiah Elizondo was fouled on an attempt by Kayleigh Saldana, earning a trip to the line. She split the free throws, extending their lead to, 3-0. With 6:14 to play in the opening quarter, Arianna Cruz picked up a steal and was fouled on a fast-break attempt by Amery Pauda; she converted both free throws to stretch the lead to, 5-0. Marysa Saenz kept the rally going with a put-back off of a miss by Ari Castillo and Castillo followed it up with a lay-up off of a steal in their own end, pushing their lead to, 9-0, as Brownfield took a time out with 5:49 left to play in the first quarter. Out of the break, Castillo picked up a steal in their own end and ropped it in for a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Pauda. She missed the free throw, leaving the score, 11-0.
Lucy Guzman would end the scoring drought for Brownfield, as she drained a three from the top of the key to get the Lady Cubs on the board, but Cruz fired right back with a three of her own from the top of the key, off of the assist from Castillo, making the score, 143, with 4:26 to play in the quarter. Hanlin turned a steal into points and Castillo followed it up with a steal on the inbound play, dropping it in for a lay-up to extend their lead to, 18-3, with just under four minutes to play in the quarter.
Brownfield took another time out and out of the break, Maya Martinez was fouled on an attempt by Elizondo. She converted both free throws, but on the other end, Saenz was fouled on a jumper attempt by Guzman, sending Saenz to the line for free throws. She converted both attempts from the line to make the score, 20-5, with 1:34 to play in the quarter.
Audry Davis dropped in a layup on the right side off of the assist from KK Fininen, but Cali Saldana answered with a three from the right elbow for the Lady Cats to close out the first quarter with Littlefield in front, 23-7.
Martinez opened the second frame with a lay-up for the Lady Cubs, but Castillo used a pump fake to get behind the defense for a lay-up, stretching their lead to, 25-9, with 6:33 to play in the second quarter. Cruz drained a three from the right elbow, but Fininen answered with a lay-up on the lef side to trim the lead to, 28-11, with 5:22 remaining in the first half.
Cruz picked up a steal and was fouled on the fast-break attempt by Davis, earning a trip to the line. She converted one-of-two shots from the line, making the score, 2911. Hanlin drove the middle for a lay-up and Castillo followed it up with a jumper from the right elbow off of the assist from Saenz, pushing their lead to, 33-11, with just under three minutes remaining in the first half.
With 1:43 to play in the half, Martinez was fouled on a secondchance try by Danica Jouett; she made one-of-two shots from the line, but the Lady Cats would answer right back, as Jazmine Rosalez dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Cali Saldana, stretching the lead to, 35-12. Castillo would score back-to-back buckets for the Lady Cats to close out the first half with Littlefield in front, 39-12.
Hanlin opened the second half with a lay-up, but Guzman answered with a three from the left wing for the Lady Cubs to cut the lead to, 41-15. Castillo came right back with a lay-up, but Guzman again answered with a three from the left wing off of the assist from Fininen, making the score, 43-18. Castillo responded again with a lay-up, but the Lady Cubs again answered with a three, as Pauda knocked down a triple from the left elbow, slicing the lead to, 45-21, with just over six minutes remain-ing in the third quarter.
Elizondo dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Castillo and Littlefield took a time out to talk things over, leading Brownfield, 47-21. Out of the break, Castillo scored a lay-up off of a steal and two plays later, Hanlin dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Pauda. She converted the free throw, making the score, 52-21.
Hanlin took a charge on Pauda, who picked up her fourth foul with 1: 19 to play in the third, but Brownfield would regain possesion, as Davis dropped in a put-back to make the score, 52-23, as the third quarter came to a close.
Cruz opened the final frame with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Castillo and Hanlin followed it up with a drive to the basket for a lay-up, pushing their lead to, 57-23. With 6:28 remaining, Martinez was fouled on an attempt by Cruz, who picked up her fourth foul. She made one-oftwo shots from the line and Cali Saldana answered with a three from the right wing for Littlefield, making the score, 60-24.
Martinez dropped in a lay-up for Brownfield with 5:23 remaining in the contest, but Cali Saldana again buried a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Hanlin, pushing the lead to, 63-26. With 4:11 left to play, Elizondo took a charge on Martinez and Saenz dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Cali Saldana to stretch the lead to, 65-26. Fininen dropped in a layup to end the rally for Littlefield, but Saenz responded quickly with a three from the left wing, stretching their lead to, 68-28, with 3:22 to play.
Danica Jouett dropped in a putback off of a miss by Cruz and Cali Saldana scored a lay-up off of a steal to extend their lead to, 72-28, but with 1:41 remaining, David dropped in a runner in the lane to make the score, 72-30. Cali Saldana picked up another steal and was fouled on the fast-break attempt by Kayleigh Saldana, earning a trip to the line. She converted both free throws and Jouett followed it up with a jumper from the left elbow to stretch the lead to, 76-30, with under a minute to play.
Haylee Haynes dropped in a layup for the Lady Cubs, as the Lady Cats went on to take the district match-up, 76-32.
The Lady Cats were led in scoring by Castillo, who netted 20 points. She was joined in doublefigures scoring by Hanlin and Saldana, who tallied 13 points apiece and Cruz, who finished with 12 points.
Saenz contributed nine points, while Jouett chipped in four points and Elizondo finished with three points. Rosalez added two points in the contest.
The Lady Cats will host the 32nd annual Wildcat Classic starting Wednesday, Dec. 27th. Their first round match-up will be Wednesday night against the Andrews Fillies.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.