The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team closed out the regular season on the road on Tuesday night, as they took down the Muleshoe Lady Mules, 69-37.
With the win, the Lady Cats finish the regular season with a mark of 23-6 overall, 12-0 in district play.
Marysa Saenz picked up a steal near mid-court and passed it toAri Castillo, who hit Arianna Cruz in transition for a lay-up to open the contest, putting the Lady Cats in front, 2-0. The Lady Mules responded with a lay-up, but Saenz fired right back with a three from the top of the key, off of an assist from Ari Castillo, making the score, 5-2, with 6:52 left to play in the first quarter.
Adalie Agundis knocked down a jumper from the left baseline, but Kennadi Hanlin answered with a drive to the basket for a lay-up, pushing their lead to, 7-4. Muleshoe took a 30second time out with 6:23 to play, and out of the break, Ari Castillo dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Hanlin, stretching their lead to, 9-4. With 5:33 left to play in the quarter, Hanlin was fouled on an attempt by Rylie Woodard, earning a trip to the line. She made one-of-two shots from the line, pushing the lead to, 10-4.
Muleshoe took a 30-second time out with 5:27 remaining in the quarter, and out of the break, Agundis knocked down another jumper from the left baseline, trimming the lead to, 10-6. Hanlin picked up a steal and drove into the paint, pulling up for a jumper from the free-throw line and Jasmine Castillo followed it up with a put-back off of a miss by Hanlin, extending their lead to, 14-6, with 3:41 left to play in the quarter.
Danica Jouett picked up a steal in their own end and got it to Cali Saldana, who knocked down a short jumper from the right side to make the score, 16-6. Jasmine Castillo took the ball to the hoop strong and was fouled on the attempt by Daniella Sanchez. She converted both free throws, stretching the lead to, 18-6.
The Lady Mules would not lay down, as Woodward dropped in backto- back lay-ups for the Lady Mules and took a charge on Cruz to close out the first quarter with the Lady Cats in front, 18-10.
Agundis and Woodard dropped in back-to-back lay-ups to open quarter number two, but Jasmine Castillo picked up a steal and was fouled on a shot attempt by Idaly Tarango. She split the attempts at the line, but followed it up with a steal on the next play, dropping in a lay-up and drawing an and-one foul on Aubrey Granados. She converted the free throw, pushing the lead back out to, 22-14, with 5:48 to play in the first half.
Agundis knocked down a jumper from the right baseline, but Hanlin responded with a steal getting it to Jasmine Castillo for the lay-up, making the score, 24-16. Muleshoe took a time out with 4:52 to play in the half, and out of the break,Amiah Elizondo was fouled on an attempt by Woodard. She made the first shot and missed the second, but Nevaeh Esquibel was there for the put-back, pushing the lead to, 27-16.
With 3:33 remaining in the half, Cruz was fouled on an attempt by Tarango. She converted both shots from the line, extending the lead to, 29-16. With under two minutes remaining, Payton Critchley was fouled on a put-back attempt by Esquibel. She sank both free throws, but Hanlin drove the lane on the other end, dumping the ball off to Saenz for a lay-up and Jasmine Castillo closed out to the first half with a pass to Elizondo for a lay-up, making the score, 33-18, going into the locker room at halftime.
Ari Castillo opened the second half, drawing a shooting foul on Agundis. She sank both attempts from the line, stretching the lead to, 35-18. Woodard answered with three consecutive layups for the Lady Mules, slicing the lead to, 35-24, with just under six minutes to play in the third quarter.Ablock on the defensive end by Ari Castillo led to a lay-up for her on the offensive end, pushing their lead back out to, 37-24.
Critchley dropped in back-to-back lay-ups, cutting the lead to single-digits, 37-28, as Littlefield took a time out with 4:42 to play in the third. Out of the break, Jasmine Castillo dropped in a lay-up in the lane and Ari Castillo followed it up with a lay-up on the left side, pushing the lead back out to, 4128, with 2:17 to play in the quarter.
Littlefield took a time out with 1:54 to play in the third and out of the break, Tarango scored a fast-break lay-up off of a turnover by Cruz, making it an 11-point game, 41-30. Saldana answered with a three from the left elbow, but with time winding down in the quarter,Avery Cantu took a charge on Saldana to close out the third quarter, with the Lady Cats in front, 44-30.
Saenz opened the fourth quarter with a lay-up on a fast-break and she followed it up with back-to-back threes to stretch their lead to, 52-30. Hanlin kept the scoring-run going with a layup in transition, forcing Muleshoe to take a time out with 6:06 to play in the contest. Out of the break, Saenz was fouled on an attempt and converted both free throws to extend their lead to, 56-30.
Ari Castillo dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Cantu. She missed the free throw leaving the score, 58-30, with 4:13 to play in the game.
After a, 4-2, scoring run by Littlefield, Esquibel knocked down a jumper from the right elbow, making the score, 64-32, with 2:10 left to play. Critchley sank a jumper for the Lady Mules, but Esquibel drove the right side for a lay-up off of the assist form Jasmine Castillo, pushing the lead to, 66-34. Muleshoe dropped in a bucket, but Cruz answered with a lay-up and Jasmine Castillo was fouled on the next possession by Agundis. She made one-of-two free throws to stretch their lead to, 69-36.
Aubrey Granados split a pair of free throws to close out the game, as the Lady Cats took their regular season finale, 69-37.
The Lady cats were led in scoring by Jasmine Castillo, who tallied 16 points, six rebounds and two steals. Saenz netted 15 points, to go along with two rebounds, two blocks and two steals, while Ari Castillo chipped in 11 points, six rebounds, three steals, two assists and one block, and Hanlin contributed seven points, six assists, five steals and three rebounds.
Esquibel tallied six points, five rebounds, four steals and one block, while Cruz chipped in six points, five rebounds, three steals, one assist and one block, and Saldana contributed five points. Elizondo added three points, four rebounds, four steals and one block, while Jouett tallied four rebounds, two assists and one steal and Rosalez finished with two rebounds, two steals and one assist.
The Lady Cats were led in scoring by The Lady Cats will take on Kermit in the Class 3A Bi-district round of the play-offs on Monday at Seagraves High School.
Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.