The Littlefield Lady Cats overcame a slow start in the first quarter to cruise past the Roosevelt Lady Eagles, 62-36, in their first meeting of district play.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 14-6 overall, 4-2 in district play.
Makynzie Mendoza knocked down a three from the lef elbow to open the contest for Roosevelt, but on the other end, Madison Williams hit Nevaeh Esquibel for a lay-up on the left side to trim the lead to, 3-2, with 7:28 left to play in the opening quarter. Jazzy Chavira knocked down a jumper from the right wing for the Lady Eagles, but Amoni Jefferson answered with a drive to the basket for a layup, keeping it a one-point game, 5-4.
Avery Putman was fouled on an attempt by Esquibel and made one-of-two shots from the line, but Ari Castillo answered with a steal in their own end, dropping it in for an easy lay-up to tie the game, 6-6, as Littlefield took a time out to talk things over. Out of the break, Brec Wheeler was fouled on a put-back attempt by Castillo. She made one-of-two shots from the line to put Roosevelt back in front, 7-6, with 3:19 to play in the first quarter.
Wheeler dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Mendoza, but Castillo answered with a layup on the other end to make the score, 9-8. Chavira dropped in a lay-up and Mendoza scored a lay-up in transition off of the assist from Wheeler to stretch the Roosevelt lead to, 13-8. With time winding down in the quarter, Cali Saldana knocked down a jumper in the lane off of a Lady Eagle’s turnover, trimming the lead to, 13-10, as the first quarter came to a close.
Putman picked up a steal from Jefferson and took it the other way for a fast-break lay-up to open the second quarter, as Roosevelt took a time out with 7:30 to play in the first half. Out of the break, Castillo dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Mendoza. She converted the free throw and Jefferson followed it up with a three from the right elbow on their next possession to put Littlefield in front, 16-15, with just under six minutes remaining in the half.
Mendoza and Wheeler knocked down back- to- back jumpers for Roosevelt to regain the lead, but it was short-lived, as Cali Saldana buried a three from the right elbow to tie the game, 19-19. With 1:16 left to play in the first half, Jefferson dropped in a floater in the lane and with time winding down in the half, she dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Cali Saldana to put the Lady Cats up, 23-19, going into the locker room at halftime.
Esquibel got into the paint for a lay-up to open the second half, and on the next play, Kyndal Grimes was called for an illegal screen giving the ball back to Littlefield with 6:47 to play in the third quarter. Castillo dropped in a lay-up on a second-chance opportunity, but Chavira answered with a trhree from the left elbow for Roosevelt, making the score, 27-22, with just over six minutes to play in the quarter.
Castillo dropped in a lay-up in transition off of the assist from Cali Saldana, drawing an and-one foul on Chavira, her second. She missed the free throw leaving the score, 29- 22. Putman took a charge on Esquibel, her second foul, but the Lady Eagles couldn’t capitalize on the turnover, as Williams drained a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Jefferson, pushing their lead to, 32-22.
Mendoza hit a cutting Wheeler for a lay-up, but Cali Saldana answered with a three from the top of the key to make the score, 35-24. Stormy Waters-Whitehead knocked down a bucket, as Roosevelt took a time out to talk things over with the score, 35-26. Out of the break, Castillo was fouled on an attempt by Wheeler, her third. She split the free throws, extending the lead to, 36-26.
With 3:07 left to play in the quarter, Castillo was fouled on an attempt by Wheeler, her fourth. This time Castillo sank both free throws to extend their lead to, 38-26. Jefferson followed it up with a put-back off of her own miss and Castillo kept it going with a lay-up off of the assist form Esquibel, pushing their lead to, 42-26, with 2:13 remaining in the third quarter.
Esquibel scored a lay-up off of an assist from Jefferson and Jefferson followed it up with a lay-up on the right side, extending their lead to, 46-26. With time winding down in the quarer, Castillo was fouled on the floor by Chavira, her third. She made one-of-two free throws to make the score, 47-26, heading into the final quarter of play.
Chavira opened the final frame with a jumper from the left wing, but two plays later, Cali Saldana picked up a steal off of a bad pass by Putman, taking it the other way for a fast-break layup. On their next possession, Jefferson dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Castillo, drawing an and-one foul on Putman. She missed the free throw leaving the score, 51-28, with 5:28 left to play in the game.
Jefferson dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Cali Saldana and Cali Saldana followed it up with a three from the right elbow, stretching their lead to, 56-28, with 4:26 left to play. Jefferson was fouled on an attempt by Mendoza, her second. She converted both free throws to extend the lead to, 58-28.
With 3:08 remaining, Littlefield was called for a technical foul for having to many players on the floor. Grimes shot the free throws for Roosevelt, making one-of-two from the line, trimming the elad to, 58-29. Waters-Whitehead and Emilia Perez dropped in back-to-back lay-ups for the Lady Eagles and with 1:18 to play, Waters-Whitehead was fouled on an attempt by Mattie Seymour. She made oneof- two shots from the line making the score, 58-34.
Cobi Saldana dropped in a layup for Littlefield, but Waters-Whitehead answered with a drive on the right side for a layup to make the score, 60-36. Brianna Martinez knocked down a jumper at the buzzer, as Littlefield went on to take down Roosevelt, 62-36.
The Lady Cats were led in scoring by Jefferson, who finished with 19 points, as one of three Lady Cats in double-figures scoring. Castillo chipped in 17 points and Cali Saldana netted 13 points. Esquibel chipped in six points, while Williams tallied three points, Cobi Saldana added two points and Martinez finished with two points in the contest.
The Lady Cats were at Dimmitt on Friday to close out the first half of district play against the Bobbies. Results were not available at press time. They will begin the second half of district play on Tuesday with a home game against Idalou.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.