The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team cruised past the Friona Chieftains on Tuesday, 6627, to sweep the season series at Wildcat Gym.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 17-11 overall, 74 in district play.
Nate Castaneda and Jayden Barrio scored backto- back buckets to open the contest for the Wildcats, and Sammy Saenz followed it up with an outlet pass to Elijah Rodriguez for a layup, pushing their lead to, 60 to begin the game. With 6:31 remaining in the contest, Rodriguez dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Barrio to stretch their lead to, 8-0.
Castaneda hit Barrio in transition for a lay-up and Castaneda followed it up with a three from the right elbow, off of the assist from Barrio, extending their lead to, 13-0, with 4:35 to play in the quarter. The Wildcats kept it going, as Barrio scored a lay-up off of a steal to push their lead to, 15-0, as Friona took a time out to talk things over.
Out of the break, Rejino was fouled on a shot attempt by Jose Payan; he made one-of-two shots at the line to get the Chieftains on the board, trimming the lead to, 15-1. Barrio answered with a lay-up from the left side, but Rejino responded with a three from the right wing to make the score, 17-4.
Barrio buried a three from the top of the key and Blayton Soliz followed it up with a steal that led to a fast-break lay-up, extending the lead to, 22-4. With under a minute to play in the first quarter, Saenz picked up a steal and dropped it in for a lay-up, but Friona answered with a jumper from Leon, trimming the lead to, 24-6. With time winding down in the quarter, Diaz was fouled on the floor by Ben Castillo; he split the shots at the line, making the score, 24-7.
Saenz, though, would race down the floor and drew a shooting foul on a long three at the buzzer on Brice Jeter. He made twoout- of-three shots at the line, pushing their lead to, 26-7, heading into quarter number two.
Castaneda opened the second frame with a dish to Rodriguez for a lay-up, and on the defensive end, Castaneda took a charge on Leon, as the Wildcats regained possession with 6:39 to play in the half. On their next possession, Andrew Davis was fouled on an attempt by Rejino, earning a trip to the line. He made one- of- two shots, and Saenz followed it up with a lay-up, pushing their lead to, 31-7.
Saenz kept it going, as he hit Barrio on a back-door cut for a lay-up, making the score, 33-7, as Friona took a time out with 5:01 to play in the half. Out of the break, Saenz knocked down a jumper from the left elbow off of an assist from Davis and Payan followed it up with a lay-up to stretch their lead to, 37-7. Davis kept it going with a three from the top of the key, off of an assist from Chase Coronado and Barrio closed out the half with a put-back off of his own miss, extending their lead to, 42-7, going into the locker room at halftime.
Perez opened the second half with a floater in the lane for Friona, but Davis answered with a three from the left elbow, and Rodriguez was fouled on a put-back attempt by Diaz, his third. Rodriguez split the attempts at the line, making the score, 46-9. With 6:38 remaining in the third quarter, Davis drained another three from the left elbow, but Padilla answered with a bucket, trimming the lead to, 49-11.
Rodriguez grabbed a steal on their own end, and dropped in the easy lay-up, but Jeter responded with a lay-up in transition, trimming the lead to, 51-13. With 4:15 remaining in the third, Davis drove into the paint, dumping the ball off to Rodriguez for a lay-up, making the score, 53- 13. Friona knocked down a jumper, but Castaneda answered with a lay-up, as Littlefield took a time out with 2:50 to play in the game.
Out of the break, Diaz was fouled on an attempt by Payan, his second of the game. He sank both free throws to make the score, 55-17, going into the final quarter of play.
Rodriguez opened the fourth quarter with a lay-up off of the assist from Castaneda, but Jeter answered with a three from the right elbow, cutting the lead to, 57-20. Davis and Barrio knocked down backto- back threes from the right elbow and Barrio hit Castaneda in transition for a lay-up, as he drew an andone foul on Polk. He converted the free throw, pushing the lead to, 66-20.
Friona would go on a, 70, scoring run over the final four minutes, as Littlefield took the contest, 66-27.
The Wildcats were led by Barrio, who netted 18 points. He was joined in double-figures scoring by Davis and Rodriguez, who each tallied 13 points and Castaneda, who contributed 10 points. Saenz added eight points, while Payan and Soliz each finished with two points in the contest.
The Wildcats were at Dimmitt on Friday to take on the Bobcats for their second meeting of district play. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Tuesday with a home game against Idalou.
Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.