The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team closed out the regular season with a, 52-31, home victory over Dimmitt, to celebrate senior night.
With the win, the Lady Cats head into the post-season with a mark of 20-8 overall, 10-4 in district play.
Ari Castillo got the Lady Cats going with a drive through the middle for a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Dimmitt. She converted the free throw to put the Lady Cats in front, 3-0, and Marysa Saenz followed it up with a three from the right wing off of the assist from Cali Saldana, pushing their lead to, 6- 0. Braylynn Chavira knocked down a jumper from the left elbow to get the Bobbies on the board, but on the other end, Castillo was fouled on an attempt by Riley Ramos, earning a trip to the line. She sank both attempts at the line, pushing their lead to, 82, with 5:39 remaining in the opening quarter.
Meah Espinoza banked in a floater in the lane and followed it up with a lay-up on the left side to make it a one-possession game, 8-6, but Amoni Jefferson answered with a step- back jumper from the right elbow, stretching the lead back out to, 10-6. With 4:04 left to play in the quarter, Milee Thomas dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Espinoza, but, on the other end, Castillo drew a shooting foul on Espinoza, earning a trip to the line. She knocked down both shots from the free-throw line, extending their lead to, 12-8, with 3:20 remaining in the first quarter.
Cali Saldana banked in a runner from the right side and Jefferson closed out the quarter with a floater from the right elbow, stretching their lead to, 168, as the first quarter came to a close.
Castillo knocked down a runner from the right elbow to open the second frame, but Espinoza answered with a lay-up in transition for Dimmitt, making the score, 18- 10. With just over three minutes remaining in the first half, Liliana Herrera was fouled on an attempt by Nevaeh Esquibel; she sank both attempts at the line to trim the lead to, 18-12.
Cali Saldana responded with a jumper from the right wing off of the assist from Nia Cleveland, pushing their lead back out to, 20-12, as Dimmitt took a time out to talk things over with 1:28 to play in the half. Out of the break, Jefferson was fouled on an attempt by the Bobbies. She made one-of-two shots from the line and Castillo followed it up with a lay-up to close out the half with Littlefield in front, 23-12.
Ramos was fouled on a putback attempt by Bri Martinez to open the second half. She converted both shots at the line for Dimmitt, but Esquibel answered with a lay-up to make the score, 25-14, with 5:34 remaining in the third quarter. On their next possession, Esquibel was fouled on an attempt and split the shots at the line to extend the lead to, 2614.
With 3:30 to play in the third quarter, Jefferson picked up a steal in their own end and dished it to Castillo for a lay-up making the score, 28-14. Jefferson was fouled on the Lady Cats’ next possession and sank both shots at the line to push the lead to, 30-14. She would draw another shooting foul on the next play on Ramos, her third. She made the first shot and missed the second, but she was able to gather her own rebound, as Cleveland drew a shooting foul on Brooklyn Catano. She converted both attempts at the line to stretch the lead to, 33-14.
Cobi Saldana drove the right side of the basket for a lay-up and Cali Saldana followed it up with a drive along the right baseline for a lay-up, extending the lead to, 37-14, to close out the third quarter.
Dimmitt opened the fourth quarter on a, 5-0, scoring run to trim the lead to, 37-19, and with 6:15 to play, Herrera knocked down a step-back jumper from the left wing to cut the lead to, 37-21. Two minutes later, Thomas was fouled on an attempt by Castillo; she split the attempts at the line, trimming the lead to, 37-22. Cali Saldana answered with a three, but Thomas fired right back with a lay-up off of the inbound pass from the sideline to make the score, 4024, with 3:48 left to play.
Jefferson pulled up and drained a jumper from the left elbow, but Thomas again answered with a jumper for Dimmitt to make the score, 42-26. Castillo dropped in a lay-up for the Lady Cats, as Dimmitt took a time out with 2:36 to play in the game. Out of the break, Thomas split a pair of free throws, after Castillo picked up her third foul and the Bobbies followed it up with a transition basket to make the score, 44-29, with 1:46 remaining.
Cali Saldana knocked down a deep three from the left elbow, but Alexis Quiroz answered with a floater, as the Lady Cats took a time out with 1:08 to play, leading the Bobbies, 47-31. Out of the break, Saenz would bury a three from the right elbow and Cobi Saldana closed things out with a floater from the right side, as Littlefield took down Dimmitt, 52-31, in their second meeting of the season.
The Lady Cats were led by Castillo, who finished with 15 points, as one of three Lady Cats in double-figures scoring. Cali Saldana netted 12 points and Jefferson chipped in 10 points.
Saenz contributed six points, while Cobi Saldana chipped in four points and Esquibel added three points. Cleveland finished with two points in the contest.
The Lady Cats will play the winner of Friday’s seeding game between Dalhart and Bushland on Monday in Canyon.
Time is TBA.