The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team closed out the first half of district play on Friday with a road loss to Idalou, 66-33.
With the loss, the Lady Cats end the first half of district play, 5-3.
Nia Cleveland was fouled on an attempt by Bricelyn Patschke, earning a trip to the line. She made the first shot, and was called for a lane violation on the second, making the score, 1- 0. Littlefield took a time out to prevent a turnover with 5:45 to play in the opening quarter. Out of the break, Patschke dropped in a layup, off of an assist from Natalie Stark, putting them in front, 2-1.
Cleveland drove the right side for a lay-up, off of an assist from Madison Williams, but Avery Hargrove answered with a three from the left wing, off of an assist from Preslie Wall, making the score, 5-3, with 3:27 to play in the first quarter. Cobi Saldana was fouled on an attempt by Payton Ables. She made one-of-two shots from the line to trim the lead to, 5-4.
Idalou scored back-toback lay-ups, but Zalise Davis grabbed a steal and dished it ahead to Saldana, but she was called for a charge, turning the ball back over to Idalou with 1:54 to play in the quarter. Amoni Jefferson took a charge on Karsyn Lutrick, but Idalou would regain possession, as Stark dropped in a fastbreak lay-up to close out the first quarter with Idalou in front, 11-4.
Williams opened the second frame with a three from the left wing, but Patschke dropped in a lay-up off of a turnover by Cleveland on the Idalou end of the floor and Stark followed it up with a lay-up off of a turnover by Davis on an inbound play, making the score, 15-7, with just over seven minutes remaining in the first half.
Jefferson dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Lutrick, her second of the game. Jefferson missed the free throw, leaving the score, 15-9. Stark banked in a three from the left elbow and Maddox Martin hit Stark with an outlet pass for the fast-break lay-up, making the score, 20-9, as Littlefield took a time out with 5:28 to play in the game.
Out of the break, Hargrove picked up a steal, dishing it to Ables for a layup, extending their lead to, 22-9. With 4:24 to play in the half, Taylor Dennis was fouled on a put-back attempt by Williams. She made one-of-two shots at the line, but Williams answered with a three from the left elbow, off of the assist from Jefferson, making the score, 23-12.
Hargrove knocked down a three from the left wing, off of an assist from Martin, but on the other end, Davis dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Dennis. She missed the free throw, leaving the score, 2614, with 3:19 to play in the half. Idalou responded with a bucket, but Cleveland answered with a lay-up to make the score, 28-16, with 1:46 to play in the half.
Megan Hall buried a three from the right elbow and Lutrick closed out the half with a fast-break lay-up off of a steal, making the sore, 33-16, going into the locker room at halftime.
Lutrick hit Stark with a bounce pass for a lay-up to open the second half, but Williams answered with a three from the right wing off of the assist from Davis, making the score, 35-19, as Littlefield took a time out with 6:38 to play in the third quarter. Out of the break, Lutrick drained a three from the top of the key, off of the assist from Stark and Idalou followed it up with a fastbreak lay-up off of a steal to push their lead to, 40-19.
Martin and Stark scored back-to-back lay-ups off of Littlefield turnovers, but Cleveland dropped in a layup, off of an assist from Davis, making the score, 2144, with 2:22 to play in the quarter. Davis followed it up with a drive through the middle for a lay- up, as Idalou took a time out with 1:51 to play in the quarter. Out of the break, Lutrick dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Stark, but on the other end, Davis was fouled on the floor by Idalou. She made one-of-two shots at the line to make the score, 46-24.
With time winding down in the quarter, Hall picked up a teal and took it to the hoop for a fast-break layup, but just before time expired in the quarter, Williams dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Cleveland, making the score, 48-26, going into the final quarter of play.
Lutrick opened the fourth quarter with a three from the right wing for Idalou, but Jefferson answered with a step-back jumper in the lane to make the score, 51-28. Lutrick fired right back for Idalou with a floater off the glass to push their lead to, 53-28, with 5:25 to play in the game.
Idalou’s defense forced a five- second call on Jefferson and Lutrick followed it up with a three from the right wing, pushing their lead to, 56-28. Jefferson answered with a floater from the right side, as Littlefield took a time out to talk things over. Out of the break, Wall dropped in a lay- up for Idalou, stretching the lead to, 58-30.
With 3:36 left to play, Jefferson was fouled on an attempt by Patschke, her second of the game. She converted both shots from the line, trimming the lead to, 58-32. Stark scored on a fast-break lay-up and on Idalou’s next possession, Hargrove was fouled on a fast-break attempt by Williams, her second of the game. She sank both shots from the line to stretch their lead to, 62-32.
Jefferson was fouled on an attempt by Stark, her second of the game. Jefferson split the attempts at the line, trimming the lead to, 62-33. Ables knocked down a pair of free throws after being fouled on an attempt by Jasmine Almance and Martin closed out the game with a floater in the lane, as Littlefield fell to Idalou, 6633.
Williams led the Lady Cats in scoring with 11 points, while Jefferson tallied nine points and Cleveland chipped in seven points. Davis added five points and Saldana finished with one point in the contest.
The Lady Cats will be back in action on Friday when they travel to Shallowater to open the second half of district play.
Tip-off is slated for 6:15 p.m.