The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team cruised past the Denver City Mustangs on the road on Friday, 77-26.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 27-3 overall, 10-1 in district play.
Chip Green opened the contest with a steal, pushing it ahead to Ryan Williams on the fast-break for the lay-up and Ryan Williams followed it up with a three from the left elbow, off of the assist from Jeremiah Trevino, stretching their lead to, 5-0, with 5:58 remaining in the opening quarter. Jordy Espinoza dropped in a lay-up to get the Mustangs on the board, but Trevino answered with a lay-up on the other end, off of an assist from Kam McCarty, extending the lead to, 7-2, as Denver City took a time out to talk things over with 5:21 to play in the first quarter.
Hudson Hemmeline knocked down a short turnaround jumper from the left side out of the break, but MJ Randle drained a three from the top of the key off of an assist from Green, and Green followed it up with a three from the left elbow off of an assist from Jayden Barrio, pushing their lead to, 13-4, with just under four minutes to play in the first quarter.
Chasen Buckle got into the paint for a Mustangs’ lay-up, but on the other end, Green hit a cutting Trevino for a lay-up, stretching the lead back out to, 15-6. Espinoza came right back with a lay-up for Denver City, but the Wildcats again answered, as Barrio grabbed his own rebound, and dished it to Trevino for a lay-up, as he drew an and-one foul on Jonathan Martinez. He converted the free throw, pushing the lead to, 18-8.
Randle kept the run going with a put-back off of a miss by Green and Green followed it up with a fast-break lay-up off of a steal, extending their lead to, 22-8, with under two minutes to play in the quarter. McCarty dropped in a put-back off of his own miss, but Martinez answered with a bucket to stop the bleeding for Denver City, however with time winding down in the quarter, Sir Pratt dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Ryan Williams drawing an and-one foul on Hemmeline. He converted the free throw to make the score, 27-10, as the first quarter came to a close.
Ryan Williams opened the second frame with a three from the top of the key, off of the assist from Randle and Pratt followed it up with a put-back off of a miss by Josiah Garcia, making the score, 32-10. The Wildcats offensive onslaught continued, as Ryan Williams knocked down another three from the left wing, off of the assist from Barrio, and Randle followed it up with a steal on the defensive end, pushing it ahead to Barrio for the transition lay-up, making the score, 37-10, with just under five minutes to go in the half.
Green drained a three from the top of the key, and on the next play, Barrio hit a cutting Trevino for a lay-up to make the score, 42-10. With 1:38 to go in the half, Green tossed the outlet pass down court to Barrio for the fastbreak lay-up, stretching the lead to, 44-10. With 31 seconds to play in the half, the Wildcats took a charge on Christian Montes and with time winding down in the half, McCarty drew a shooting foul on Espinoza, earning a trip to the line. He knocked down both free throws to make the score, 46-10, going into the locker room at halftime.
Kirk Padgett knocked down a short jumper from the right side to open the second half for Denver City, but Ryan Williams answered with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from McCarty, making the score, 49-12. The Mustangs responded, as Martinez dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Hemmeline, but on the other end, Randle sank a three from the right wing, off of the assist from McCarty and McCarty followed it up with drive on the left side for a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Espinoza. He missed the free throw, leaving the score, 54-14, with 5:21 to play in the third.
Martinez dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Espinoza, but Ryan Williams answered on the other end, driving the left baseline for a lay-up to push their lead to, 56-16. Green kept it going with a three from the left wing off of the assist from Ryan Williams and Pratt followed it up with a lay-up off of the inbound pass from Ryan Williams, making the score, 61-16.
With 1:36 to play in the third, Barrio dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Garcia and Pratt closed out the quarter with a put-back off of a miss by Barrio, making the score, 65-16, going into the final quarter of play.
Buckle was fouled on an attempt by Garcia to open the fourth quarter; he made one-of-two free throws to trim the lead to, 65-17, but Randle responded with a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Trevino, stretching the lead to, 68-17. With 4:26 left to play, Montes drove in for a layup, but Littlefield again responded, as Trevino pulled up for a jumper on the left elbow and followed it up with a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Garcia, extending their lead to, 73-19.
Jayden Huertas dropped in a midrange floater, but Pratt answered with a lay-up and Garcia followed it up with a lay-up off of a steal in their own end to make the score, 77-21. Huertas closed out the game with a three and a lay-up off of a steal for Denver City, as Littlefield took the contest, 77-26.
The Wildcats were led in scoring by Ryan Williams, who finished with 16 points, six rebounds and three assists. He was one of five players in double-figures scoring.
Trevino tallied 14 points, six rebounds and one assist, while Randle chipped in 11 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals, and Pratt contributed 11 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Green tallied 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals, while McCarty contributed six points, three rebounds and two assists.
Barrio added six points, six rebounds, five assists and one steal, while Garcia finished with two points and three steals in the contest.
The Wildcats hosted Dimmitt for their final game of the regular season on Tuesday. Results were not available at press time. They will have a seeding game with Brownfield later this week to determine the one and two seeds in District 3-3A, after they finished as Co-district champions. Details are TBA.