The Olton Mustangs’ varsity basketball team took down Fort Stockton on Saturday afternoon, 46-39, to take third place at he 33rd annual Wildcat Classic in Littlefield.
Johnathan Cooper was fouled on an attempt by Diego Ronquillo to open the contest. He converted both shots at the line, but Ronquillo answered with a three from the left wing to give Fort Stockton the lead, 3-2. Cooper responded with a lay- up, but Ronquillo, again, answered to keep the Panthers in front, 5-4, with 6:10 to play in the opening quarter.
Santi Jimenez picked up a steal in their own end and got it to Sebastian Sparkman, who dropped in a floater on the right side, but the Panthers fired right back, as Ronquillo dropped in a lay-up in transition to keep them in front, 7-6. With 4:26 left to play in the first quarter, Jimenez was fouled on an a fast- break by Ronquillo, his second. He sank both free throws and Alan Vasquez buried a three from the left elbow off of an assist from Jimenez, pushing the Olton lead to, 11-7.
Sparkman dished the ball ahead to Jimenez for a fast-break lay-up off of a Panther turnover and Cooper dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Sparkman to stretch their lead to, 15-7. Evan Cordero would close out the first quarter with a lay-up for the Panthers, making the score, 15-9, heading into quarter number two.
Jondrey Reyes opened the second frame with a floater from the right side and after a pair of missed free throws by Nelson, Reyes dropped in another bucket for the Panthers to make it a one-possession game, 15-13. Vasquez dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Angel Lujan. He missed the free throw leaving the score, 17-13.
Zeke Espino knocked down a jumper in the lane for Fort Stockton, as Olton took a time out to talk things over with 4:58 left to play in the half. Out of the break, Aundre Washington dropped in a lay-up in transition to briefly tie the game, but Sparkman answered with a floater in the lane off of a tip out by Brazy Azam, making the score, 19-17.
With just over a minute remaining in the half, Azam knocked down a runner in the lane, and on the next play, Fort Stockton turned it over on Olton’s end, as Sparkman drained a three from the left elbow, stretching the lead back out to, 24-17, going into the locker room at halftime.
Reyes opened the second half with a three from the left wing, but Cooper answered with a three of his own from the right elbow and Sparkman followed it up with a fast-break lay-up off of a steal to make the score, 29-20. Espino knocked down a jumper from the top of the key, as the Panthers took a time out with 4:41 to play in the third quarter. Out of the break, Vasquez took a charge on Cordero and Olton followed it u with a layup from Cooper on the fast-break, off of the outlet pass from Sparkman, making the score, 3122, with 3:31 remaining in the quarter.
Sparkman drove the lane, dumping the ball off to Azam for a layup, but Fort Stockton answered with a three and Reyes followed it up with a lay-up in transition to make it a six-point game, 33-27. Olton took a time out with 1:46 to play in the third, and out of the break, Reyes buried a three from the left elbow, cutting the lead to, 33-30.
With under a minute to go in the third quarter, Sparkman finished through contact at the rim for a lay-up, but on the other end, Reyes was fouled on a three-point attempt by Vasquez. He made twoof- three shots from the line to make the score, 35-32. However, Jimenez closed out the quarter with a put-back off of a miss by Zayden Falcon, pushing the lead to, 3732, heading into the final quarter of play.
Cooper dropped in a baby hook from the right side to open the fourth quarter and Vasquez took a charge on Cordero to regain possession for the Mustangs with 4:20 left to play. Cordero dished a no look pass to Lujan for a lay-up, as Olton took a time out with 3:49 left to play in the contest. Out of the break, Nelson dropped in a layup off of the assist from Raymond Ramirez, but Ronquillo answered with a three from the top of the key, off of the assist from Cordero, making the score, 41-37, as Olton too a time out with 1:17 to play. Out of the break, Sparkman was fouled on the floor by Reyes. He sank both shots from the line, stretching the lead to, 43-37.
Vasquez split a pair of free throws with under a minute to play, but Lujan answered with a lay-up to make the score, 44-39. With time winding down in the game, Cooper was fouled on the floor by Washington and sank both shots at the line, as Olton went on to take the contest, 46-39.
Cooper led the Mustangs with 15 points, while Sparkman tallied 13 points, and Vasquez and Jimenez each poured in six points. Azam added four points, while Nelson finished with two points in the contest.