The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball grinding out a victory on the road over the Dimmitt Bobbies on Friday, 51-44.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 15-6 overall, 5-2 in district play.
Milee Thomas opened the game with a put-back, but on the other end, Madison Williams dished the ball down low toAri Castillo, who finished with a lay-up to tie the game, 2-2. With 4:21 to play in the opening quarter, Braylynn Chavira was fouled on an attempt and converted both free throws for the Bobbies, but Castillo answered with a lay-up to keep the game tied, 4-4.
With 2:28 to play in the quarter, Castillo was fouled on an attempt by Liliana Herrera and converted both free throws to give Littlefield their first lead of the game, 6-4. On their next possession Nia Cleveland was fouled on a put-back attempt by Herrera. She sank both free throws to extend their lead to, 8-4.
Nevaeh Esquibel was fouled on a jump shot by Brooklyn Catano; she made one-of-two shots at the line to push the lead to, 9-4, and Cali Saldana followed it up with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Cleveland to extend their lead to, 12-4. Cali Saldana would keep the run going, as she dropped in a lay-up off of a Dimmitt turnover, stretching the lead to, 14-4, as the Bobbies took a time out with 1:05 to play in the first quarter.
Meah Espinoza dropped in a layup to open the second quarter, drawing an and-one foul on Cleveland. She converted the free throw to cut the lead to, 14-7, but Esquibel answered with a jumper from the right elbow to push the lead back out to, 16-7. With 6:35 to play in the half, Espinoza drove the left baseline for a lay-up and she followed it up with another lay-up to cut the lead to five points, 16-11.
With 5:16 left to play in the half, Esquibel buried a three from the right elbow to make it an eight-point game, but on the other end, Milee Thomas was fouled on an attempt by Amoni Jefferson, her second. She made oneof- two shots from the line, trimming the lead to, 19-12. Williams knocked down a jumper from the right wing for Littlefield, but Riley Ramos answered with a lay-up to make the score, 21-14, with 4:13 to play in the half.
Castillo scored a lay-up off of an assist from Cali Saldana, but Dimmitt answered, as Ramos dropped in a second- chance lay-up to cut the lead to, 23-16, with under two minutes to go in the half. Castillo was fouled on an attempt by Milee Thomas and split the free throws to make the score, 2416, going into the locker room at halftime.
Catano opened the second half with a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Ramos, but on the other end, Castillo answere with a lay-up off of a Dimmitt turnover to push the lead to, 26-19. Ramos dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Milee Thomas, but Williams answered with a three to stretch the lead out to, 29-21, as Littlefield took a time out with 5:27 to play in the third quarter.
Out of the break, Catano dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Chavira in transition, but Castillo answered with a lay-up for the Lady Cats to make the score, 31-23, with just under five minutes to play in the quarter. Alina Mora picked up a steal that lead to a three by Espinoza from the right elbow, but on the other end, Castillo dropped in a put-back drawing an and-one foul on Milee Thomas. She converted the free throw to extend the lead to, 34-26.
Espinoza drove the middle for a layup for the Bobbies, but Castillo responded, driving the right baseline for a lay-up to make the score, 36-28. Espinoza came right back with a layup off of a turnover by Castillo and on their next possession, Herrera was fouled on an attempt by Castillo. She made one-of-two free throws to make it a five-point game, 36-31.
With 1:26 remaining in the third quarter, Cali Saldana split the defense with a bounce pass to Esquibel on the back-door cut for a reverse layup, but Dimmitt would not go away, as the answered with a put-back by Milee Thomas, off of a miss by Herrera, slicing the lead to, 38-33. With time winding down in the quarter Brianna Martinez picked up a steal, taking it the other way for a lay-up and Esquibel followed it up with a lay-up off of a turnover, drawing an and-one foul on Espinoza. She missed the free throw leaving the score, 42-33.
In the closing seconds of the third quarter, Mora was fouled on the floor and converted both free throws to make the score, 42-35, going into the final quarter of play.
Castillo opened the fourth quarter with a drive through the lane for a layup and she took a charge on Herrera on the defensive end to give the Lady Cats an extra possession with 5:54 to play in the game. Cali Saldana drained a three from the left elbow, but on the other end, Milee Thomas was fouled on an attempt by Cleveland; she sank one-of two free throws, trimming the lead to, 47-36, with 3:46 remaining in the contest.
Jefferson took a charge on Chavira and on the next play, she drew a foul on Espinoza, who fouled out of the contest. She made one-of-two shots from the line, making the score, 48-36. Ramos drew a foul on Jefferson earning a trip to the line where she split the free-throw attempts and Herrera followed it up with a fast-break lay-up off of a steal, cutting the lead to, 48-39.
With 1:40 left to play Cali Saldana knocked down a pair of free throws after being fouled by Herrera, but on the other end, Mora was fouled on an inbound play by Williams. She converted both free throws to trim the lead to, single-digits, 50-41. With just over 30 seconds to play, Cali Saldana was fouled on the floor by Herrera, who fouled out of the contest. She split the attempts at the line, and on the other end, Alexis Quiroz dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Jefferson, who fouled out of the game. She converted the free throw, as Littlefield held on to defeat Dimmitt, 51-44.
The Lady Cats were led in scoring by Castillo, who netted 20 points, as one of three Lady Cats in double-figures scoring. Cali Saldana tallied 11 points and Esquibel chipped in 10 points.
Williams chipped in five points, while Martinez and Cleveland each added with two points and Jefferson finished with one point.
The Lady Cats began the second half of district play on Tuesday against Idalou. Results were not available at press time. They will continue district play on Friday at Friona.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.