The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team grinded out a tough win at home over the Lamesa Lady Tornadoes on Friday, 35-31, in district play.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 15-6 overall, 4-0 in district play.
Reagan Derington opened the game with a lay-up for Lamesa, but Marysa Saenz responded on the other end with a three from the right wing, off of the assist from Kennadi Hanlin to make the score, 3-2. Littlefield took a time out with 4:57 to play in the opening quarter, and out of the break, Derington drove the lane for a lay-up to put Lamesa back in front, 4-3.
Ari Castillo would answer with a lay-up off of an inbound play for the Lady Cats to regain the lead, 5-4, with 3:18 remaining in the quarter. With 1:47 to play in the first quarter, Savannah Moreno drained a three from the right wing to put Lamesa back in front, 7-5, but Amiah Elizondo took a charge on Derington to close out the first quarter with the Lady Cats trailing, 7-5.
Jazmine Rosalez drained a three from the right elbow to open the second frame for the Lady Cats, but Bella Barron answered with a jumper from the left elbow to keep Lamesa in front, 9-8, with 7:12 remaining in the first half. Megan Hill dropped in a lay-up for the Lady Tornadoes, but Saenz answered with a jumper in the lane to cut the lead to one point, 11-10.
Fashaa Edwards dropped in a lay-up off of a long inbound pass, but Cali Saldana answered with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Rosalez to tie the game, 13-13, as Lamesa took a time out with 4:54 to play in the half. Out of the break, Arianna Cruz drained a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Rosalez to put Littlefield in front, 16-13.
With 1:38 remaining in the half, Cruz was fouled on a three-point attempt by Chrisalynn Uresti. She made one-of-three shots from the line to make the score, 17-13, going into the locker room at halftime.
Cruz opened the second half with a jumper from the left wing off of the assist from Saenz and Hanlin followed it up with a drive to the basket for a lay-up, making the score, 21-13, with 7:13 to play in the third quarter. With under six minutes remaining in the quarter, Cruz sank a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Hanlin, stretching the lead to, 2413.
Derington got the Lady Tornadoes on the board in the second half with a short jumper in the lane and Littlefield called a time out with 3:37 to play in the third quarter. Out of the break, Mariela Gonzales dropped in a lay-up in transition off of the assist from Hill, but on the other end, Danica Jouett ws fouled on an attempt by Edwards and split the free throws to push their lead to, 25-17, going into the final quarter of play.
Derington was fouled on an attempt by Cruz to open the fourth quarter; she converted both free throws to make it a six-point Littlefield lead, 25-19, but on the other end, Cruz was fouled on an attempt by Hill. She too converted both free throws to push the Lady Cats’ lead back to, 27-19, with 6:35 to play in the game. Edwards drew a shooting foul on an attempt by Elizondo and made one-of-two shots from the line, trimming the lead to, 27-20.
With 5:20 to play, Barron was fouled on an attempt by Rosalez and converted one-of-two shots from the line, making it a six-point game, 27-21. Derington followed it up with a three from the right elbow, as Littlefield took a time out to try and slow down Lamesa’s momentum with their lead cut to, 27-24, with 4:21 left to play.
Out of the break, Cruz was fouled on the floor by Edwards; she sank both shots from the line, but on the other end, Barron was fouled on the floor by Cruz, earning a trip to the line. She made oneof- two shots from the line, trimming the lead to, 29-25. With 2:41 to play, Lamesa’s Head Coach was called for a techincal foul, putting Cruz on the line for free throws. She made one-of-two shots from the line, making it a five-point game, 30-25.
Littlefield took a time out to prevent a turnover with 1:45 remaining and out of the break, Cruz was fouled on the floor by Edwards, earning a trip to the line. She converted both shots at the line to make the score, 32-25. Edwards dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Derington and drew a shooting foul on Elizondo, who picked up her third foul. Edwards missed the free throw, leaving the score, 32-27, with 1:35 left to play.
Derington was fouled on the floor by Cruz, who tabbed her third foul of the game; she split the attempts at the line to make it a fourpoint game, but on the other end, Hanlin was fouled on an attempt by Edwards, who picked up her fourth foul of the game. Hanlin made one-of-two shots from the line, but with under a minute to play, Edwards was fouled on an attempt by Castillo, who fouled out of the contest. Edwards made oneof- two free throws, trimming the lead to, 33-29.
Cruz knocked down a pair of free throws, after being fouled by Derington, who fouled out of the contest, making the score, 35-29. Barron drained a jumper from the right wing, but the Lady Cats were able to hold on for the victory, 3531.
The Lady Cats were led in scoring by Cruz, who netted 16 points, to go along with five rebounds and two steals. Saenz tallied five points, five rebounds and three assists, while Hanlin chipped in five points, two assists, two steals and one rebound.
Rosalez contributed three points, two rebounds and two assists, while Saldana added three points and two rebounds, and Castillo contributed two points, three rebounds, one steal and one block.
Jouett tallied one point, three rebounds and one steal, while Elizondo finished with one rebound in the contest.
The Lady Cats traveled to Friona on Friday to take on the Squaws. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Friday with a home game against Muleshoe.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.