The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team bounced the Dimmitt Bobcats, 75-26, on Tuesday to celebrate their senior night with a victory.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 19-8 overall, 8-4 in district play.
Chip Green opened the contest with a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Ryan Williams, and Williams followed it up with a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Nate Castaneda, pushing their lead to, 6-0, to begin the contest. Dimmitt would answer, as Justin Saenz and Frankie Cortez knocked down back-to-back threes to tie the game, 6-6, with 5:27 to play in the opening quarter.
Jayden Barrio picked up a steal and got it ahead to Green in transition for a lay-up and on the next play, Williams hit Barrio with the outlet pass, who then dished it across to Green on the fast-break for a lay-up, stretching their lead back out to, 10-6. Green followed it up with a fast-break lay-up off of a steal, but Dimmitt answered with a three to cut the lead to, 12--9, with 3:32 remaining in the quarter.
Green and Williams again buried back-to-back threes from the elbow and Williams hit Green with a no-look pass for a lay-up, extending their lead to, 20-9. With 1:43 to play in the first quarter, Green was fouled on an attempt and sank both shots at the line to stretch their lead to, 22-9. Williams would close out the quarter with a short jumper off of the assist from Sammy Saenz, making the score, 24-9, heading into quarter number two.
Williams opened the second quarter with a dime to Green, who dropped in the lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Jadrian Herrera. He converted the free throw, pushing their lead to, 27-9, as the second quarter got underway. Isaiah Ramirez sank a three from the left elbow for the Bobcats, but Jose Payan took a charge on Herrera, giving him his second foul of the game, and Williams followed it up with a floater in the lane to push their lead to, 29-12.
Saenz dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Barrio, drawing an and-one foul on the Bobcats. He converted the free throw to make the score, 32-12, with 4:22 remaining in the half. With 2:16 to play in the half, Kaden Carpio was fouled on a three-point attempt by Payan and made two-of-three shots from the line, trimming the lead to, 3214.
Littlefield would respond, as Barrio knocked down a pull-up jumper from the right elbow, and Caden Reyes was fouled on the next play by Ramirez. He split the attempts at the line to push their lead to, 35-14. With under a minute to go in the half, Cortez was fouled on an attempt by Payan, his second. He made one-of-two shots at the free-throw line to trim the lead to, 35-15. Williams would close out the half with a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Justin Saenz. He converted the free throw to put the Wildcats in front, 38-15, going into the locker room at halftime.
Green opened the second half with a three from the right wing off of the assist from Williams and Williams followed it up with an outlet pass to Green, who dropped it back to Castaneda under the basket for a lay-up, stretching their lead to, 43-15, with just over seven minutes to go in the third quarter. Green was fouled on a put-back attempt by Alex Hernandez and converted both attempts at the line, pushing the Wildcat lead to 30 points, 45-15. Cortez dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Enrique Holguin to end the scoring drought for Dimmitt, but Williams answered with a drive on the right baseline for a lay-up to make the score, 47-17. Herrera split a pair of free throws after being fouled by Ben Castillo, but Williams answered with a three from the right elbow to make the score, 50-18. Herrera would close out the third quarter with a drive and dump to Eric Duenas for a lay-up, trimming the lead to, 50-20, heading into the final quarter of play.
Williams opened the fourth quarter with a steal, taking it to the hoop for an easy lay-up and Payan followed it up with a steal, dishing it ahead to Green for the fast-break lay-up, stretching their lead to, 54-20. With 6:41 remaining, Green picked up a steal and took it to the hoop for a fast-break lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Herrera, his fourth. Green missed the free throw, but Saenz would followed it up with a fast break lay-up off of a steal before burying a three from the right wing to extend their lead to, 61-20, with 6:08 to play in the game.
Green hit Williams down low, who pump-faked under the basket before dropping in a lay-up to make the score, 63-30. Saenz followed it up with a lay-up and Castillo kept it going with another lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Ramirez. He converted the free throw to push their lead to, 69-20. The Bobcats dropped in a lay-up to stop the bleeding, but Saenz responded with a lay- up for Littlefield to make the score, 7122.
Ramirez scored for Dimmitt, but Reyes took a charge on Ramirez on the next play to give the Wildcats possession. Littlefield couldn’t capitalize on the turnover, as Ramirez drove the left side of the basket for a lay-up to trim the lead to, 71-26. Green and Castillo would close out the game with back-to-back lay-ups, as they went on to take the contest, 75-26. The Wildcats were led by Green who netted a career high 30 points, to go along with eight steals, six rebounds and one assist. Williams also tallied a career high with 24 points, to along with 13 rebounds, four steals and three assists. Saenz joined them in double-figures scoring with 12 points, three rebounds and three steals, while Castillo netted four points, one rebound and one steal.
Barrio contributed two points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal, while Castaneda added two points, seven rebounds and two assists, while Reyes finished with one point and eight rebounds.
The Wildcats were at Idalou on Friday. Results were not available at press time. They will close out their regular season next Tuesday with a home game against Friona. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.