The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team pulled away late in the game Tuesday night to take down the Muleshoe Lady Mules, 48-31, sweeping the season series.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 17- 10 overall, 6-4 in district play.
The Lady Mules opened the contest with back-toback lay-ups by Aniyee Martinez and Avery Cantu, but Amoni Jefferson got the Lady Cats on the board, as she picked up a steal and took it down court for a fast-break lay-up to cut the lead to, 4-2, with 4:41 left to play in the opening quarter.
Jefferson followed it up with a three from the left elbow, off of an assist from Madison Williams to put Littlefield in front, 5-4, but it was short-lived, as Sienna Buenrostro knocked down a three from the left elbow to put Muleshoe back in front, 6-5, with just over three minutes to play in the opening quarter.
With 2:55 to play in the first quarter, Jefferson was fouled on an attempt by Martinez. She made one-oftwo shots at the line to tie the game, 6- 6. Sophie Witten would drain a three from the right wing for the Lady Mules and on their next possession, Cantu was fouled on a put-back attempt by Nia Cleveland. She split the attempts at the line, stretching their lead to, 10-6.
Cantu took a charge on Cobi Saldana, and on the next play, Witten was fouled on an attempt by Zalise Davis, earning a trip to the line. She converted one-oftwo shots from the line to push their lead to, 11-6, with 1:12 remaining in the quarter. Davis would drive the lane, kicking it across to Cleveland for a lay-up to close out the first quarter with the Lady Mules in front, 11-8.
Witten was fouled on an attempt by Cleveland to open the second quarter. She sank both shots from the line, but Davis answered with a lay-up on the other end to trim the lead to, 1310, with 6:55 to play in the half. Two possessions later, Jefferson was fouled on an attempt by Cantu, her third of the game. Jefferson sank both shots at the line to make it a one- point game, but on the other end, Tralee Turnbow bounced a pass to Jonah Zapata for a lay-up, pushing the lead back out to, 15-12, with 5:49 to play in the half.
Muleshoe took a time out with 4:56 to play in the half, and out of the break, Buenrostro lobbed a pass over the defense to Martinez, who finished with a lay-up on the left side, extending their lead to, 1712. On the Lady Mules next possession, Buenrostro was fouled on an attempt by Williams, her third of the game. She made one-oftwo shots at the line, pushing their lead to, 18-12.
With 2:59 remaining in the half, Cleveland was fouled on a put-back attempt by Zapata. She converted both shots at the line, as Littlefield took a time out with the score, 18-14, in favor of the Lady Mules. Out of the break, Jefferson took a charge on Buenrostro, and Davis followed it up with a floater in the lane, off of the assist from Abbie Rodriguez, trimming the lead to, 18-16.
Buenrostro drove the lane on the other end, kicking the ball to Martinez for a lay-up, but Saldana answered, drawing a shooting foul on Sabryna Sayas. She made one- of- two shots from the line, trimming the lead to, 20-17, with 1:32 to play in the half. Martinez closed out the first half with a lay-up for the Lady Mules, as the Lady Cats trailed, 2217, going into the locker room at halftime.
Littlefield opened the second half with a bucket, as they called a quick time out with 7:18 to go in the third quarter. Out of the break, Witten knocked down a short jumper from the left side, but Jefferson answered with a lay-up, as the Lady Mules took a time out with 5:51 to play, leading, 24-21.
Out of the break, Sayas picked up a steal and took it to the hoop for a fastbreak lay-up, but the Lady Cats would respond, as Jefferson poked a ball away on the defensive end, as it was picked up by Davis, who hit Jefferson for a jumper from the right elbow to make it a three-point game, 26-23.
With 3:49 to play in the third, Jefferson was fouled on an attempt by Yazlynn Ramirez; she converted both shots at the line and followed it up with a jumper from the right wing to give Littlefield the lead, 27-26. Saldana followed it up with a put-back off of a miss by Davis, and on their next possession, Jefferson was fouled on an attempt by Turnbow. She made the first shot and missed the second, but Davis was there for the put-back, making the score, 32-26, with 2:25 to play in the quarter.
Buenrostro bounced a pass to Cantu for a lay-up to end the run for Littlefield, but on the other end, Cleveland was fouled on a putback attempt by Sayas, her third of the game. Cleveland split the attempts at the line, and she would draw another foul on their next possession, this one on, Martinez, her second. She split the free throws, making the score, 34-28.
Jefferson converted a pair of free throws as Buenrostro picked up her second foul of the game and Littlefield’s defense forced a five-second call on an inbound play to close out the third quarter, leading the Lady Mules, 36-28.
Witten split a pair of free throws to open the fourth quarter, as Williams picked up her fourth foul of the game. Witten would foul out with 7:33 to play and the Lady Mules took a time out with 5:39 remaining in the contest. Out of the break, Davis drove the lane, dumping the ball off to Saldana for a lay-up, making the score, 38-29.
With 2:55 to play, Saldana picked up a steal and took it to the hoop for a fastbreak lay-up, drawing an and- one foul on Buenrostro, her third of the game. Saldana converted the free throw, as the Lady Cats took a time out to talk things over, leading, 41-29. Out of the break, Davis knocked down a pair of free throws and Saldana followed it up with a lay-up in transition, pushing their lead to, 45-29.
Jefferson dropped in a put-back off of a Muleshoe turnover on the Lady Cats’ end of the floor, but on the next play, Witten was fouled on an attempt by Saldana, her second of the game. She converted both shots at the line, making the score, 4731. Davis would split a pair of free throws to close out the contest, as Littlefield defeated the Lady Mules, 48-31.
The Lady Cats were led by Jefferson, who tallied 19 points, as one of three Lady Cats in double-figures scoring. Davis joined her with 11 points, while Saldana chipped in 10 points. Cleveland finished with six points in the contest.
The Lady Cats took on Talkington at Estacado High School on Thursday. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Tuesday with a home game against the Roosevelt Lady Eagles.
Tip-off is slated for 6:15 p.m.