The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team dropped a heart-breaker to Idalou on Tuesday at home, 46-44.
With the loss, the Lady Cats fall to 15-7 overall, 5-3 in district play.
Preslie Wall dropped in a putback off of a miss by Karsyn Lutrick to open the contest for Idalou and Wall was fouled on an attempt by Cali Saldana on the next play, earning a trip to the line. She sank both free throws to push their lead to, 4-0, with 5:58 remaining in the opening quarter.
Ari Castillo drove the lane, dumping the ball off to Amoni Jefferson to get Littlefield on the board, but on the other end, Megan Hall dropped in a lay-up to extend the Idalou lead to, 6-2. With 2:25 remaining in the opening quarter, Cali Saldana was fouled on an attempt by Taylor Dennis; she made one-of-two shots from the line to trim the lead to, 6-3.
Brianna Fishback dropped in a lay-up for Idalou, but on the other end, Cali Saldana was fouled on an attempt by Dennis; she converted both shots from the line, trimming the lead to, 8-5. Bricelyn Patschke split a pair of free throws and Cali Saldana was called for a charge to close out the first quarter with Idalou in front, 9-5.
Jefferson dished the ball down low to Madison Williams for a layup, as she drew an and-one foul on Patschke. She missed the free throw leaving the score, 9-7. Castillo followed it up with a layup to tie the game, 9-9, but Idalou quickly responded, as Lutrick dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Wall, making the score, 11-9, with 5:38 left to play in the first half.
Cali Saldana buried a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Williams and she followed it up with a drive on the right side for a lay-up, off of the assist from Jefferson to stretch Littlefield’s lead to, 14-11, as Idalou took a time out with 4:43 to play in the half.
Out of the break, Dennis was called for an illegal screen, her third foul, but Idalou would regain possession, as Lutrick drained a three from the left elbow to tie the game, 14-14.
On the other end, Jefferson was fouled on an attempt by Lutrick, her second. She sank both free throws, putting Littlefield back in front, 16-14, with 3:41 remaining in the half. Wall knocked down a pull- up jumper from the left baseline, but Castillo answered driving the lane and dumping the ball off to Nevaeh Esquibel for a lay-up to make the score, 18-16.
Lutrick was fouled on a putback attempt by Castillo and sank both free throws for Idalou, but Esquibel answered with a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Jefferson to push their lead to, 21-18, with under two minutes to go in the half. Idalou would not go away, as Patschke dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Wall and Lutrick took a charge on Castillo, her second. Hall would bury a three from the left elbow to close out the first half with Idalou in front, 23-21.
Idalou took a time out with 6:28 to play in the third quarter, and out of the break, Castillo picked up a steal from Lutrick and dropped in a fast-break lay-up to tie the game, 23-23. Castillo followed it up with a runner from the right side, but Wall dropped in a lay-up and Campbell Ross knocked down a three from the left wing to put Idalou in front, 28-25.
Lutrick dropped in a lay-up and Hall scored on a second chance basket in the lane to close out the third quarter with Idalou in front, 32-25.
Patschke scored on a thirdchance put-back, drawing an andone foul on Castillo, her third. She converted the free throw to make it a 10-point game, 35-25, but Jefferson answered with a jumper from the free- throw line, as Littlefield took a time out with 7:34 to play in the game. Out of the break, Ross knocked down a three from the right elbow, but on the other end, Jefferson dropped in a lay-up, picking up an and-one foul on Lutrick, her fourth. She converted the free throw to trim Idalou’s lead to, 38-30.
With just over six minutes to play, Castillo was fouled on an attempt by Hall; she split the attempts and followed it up with a floater from the left side to cut the lead to, 38-30. With 4:17 remaining, Jefferson grabbed a defensive rebound, which led to a lay-up for Castillo, making it a three-point game, 38-35. Idalou took a time out with 4:02 to play, and out of the break, Jefferson buried a three from the right elbow to tie the game, 38-38.
Idalou took another time out with 2:45 remaining and out of the break, Cobi Saldana picked up a steal and took it the other way for a fast- break lay- up to give Littlefield the lead, 40-38. With under two minutes to play in the game, Wall was fouled on an attempt by Castillo, her fourth. She converted both free throws to tie the game, but it was short-lived, as Williams drained a three from the right elbow, off of an assist from Jefferson, making the score, 43-40.
With 1:23 to play, Jefferson took a charge on Wall, as Idalou took a time out to talk things over. Out of the break, Idalou forced a turnover, but they couldn’t capitalize, as Littlefield regained possession and Esquibel drew a foul on Hall, her second. She made one-of-two shots from the line to make it a four-point game.
Wall knocked down a short jumper from the right elbow, as Idalou took their lat time out with 22.2 seconds to play, trailing, 4442. Out of the break, Lutrick stole the inbound pass from Castillo under their own basket and dropped in a lay-up to tie the game, 44-44. Littlefield took a time out with 13.6 seconds to play, and out of the break, Lutrick was fouled on the floor by Cali Saldana, who fouled out of the contest. She converted both free throws, as Littlefield’s comeback efforts fell short, 46-44.
Jefferson led the team in scoring with 12 points, while Castillo tallied 11 points and Cali Saldana chipped in eight points. Esquibel contributed six points, while Williams tallied five points and Cobi Saldana finished with two points in the contest.
The Lady cats were at Friona on Friday for their second meeting with the Squaws. Results were not available at press time. They will continue district play on Tuesday with a home game against Slaton.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.