The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team saw their season come to an end Monday night at Randall High School, as they fell to the Dalhart Golden Wolves, 61-27.
With the loss, the Wildcats finish the season 20- 12 overall.
Cash Schniederjan was fouled on an attempt by Elijah Rodriguez to open the contest. He sank both free throws to put the Golden Wolves up, 2- 0. Nate Castaneda, though, dumped the ball off to Andrew Davis for a lay-up, as he drew an and-one foul on Zac Drew. He missed the free throw leaving the score, 2- 2. Hunter Trusler picked up a steal and took it to the hoop for an easy lay-up off of the turnover by Sammy Saenz, but Rodriguez answered with a three from the left wing, putting the Wildcats in front, 5-4, with 5:37 left to play in the opening quarter.
Maddix Blanco dropped in a put-back off of his own miss, but on the other end, Rodriguez was fouled on a put-back attempt, earning a trip to the line. He split the attempts at the line to tie the game, 6-6. With 4:10 remaining in the quarter, Garcia was fouled on an attempt by Davis. He made one-of-two shots at the line to give Dalhart the lead, 76.
With 3:49 to play in the first quarter, Drew dropped in a lay-up in transition off of a long pass from Blanco, but Rodriguez answered with a three from the right elbow, tying the game, 9-9. Garcia dropped in a lay-up for Dalhart, but Rodriguez answered again with a stepback jumper in the lane to keep the game tied, 11-11, with 3:09 to play in the first quarter.
Blanco hit Drew for a lay-up, but on the other end, Saenz drove the lane, dumping the ball off to Rodriguez for a lay-up, tying the game, 13-13. Blanco and Trusler would score back-to-back buckets to close out the quarter with Dalhart in front, 17-13.
Dalhart would hold the Wildcats scoreless in the second frame to take a, 3713, lead into the locker room at halftime.
In the third quarter, Dalhart took a time out with 5:48 remaining in the quarter. Out of the break, Drew dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Garcia, but on the other end, Rodriguez hit Castaneda on the backdoor cut for a lay-up, trimming the lead to, 39-15. Blanco dropped in a reverse lay-up off of the assist from Garcia, but on the next play, Davis took a charge on Trusler with 4:39 remaining in the third quarter.
Castaneda dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Jayden Barrio, but Drew and Garcia answered with back-to-back lay-ups for Dalhart, making the score, 45-17. With 2:40 to play in the third, Castaneda drained a three from the left elbow, off of the assist from Rodriguez, cutting the lead to, 45-20. Drew dropped in a lay-up, as Littlefield took a time out with 2:17 remaining in the quarter.
Out of the break, Castaneda dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Saenz, but on the next play, Ashton Knight took a charge on Davis to close out the quarter with the Golden Wolves in front, 47-22.
Barrio poked a ball away from Aaron Valdez on Littlefield’s end of the floor, as it was picked up by Saenz, who tossed it back to Barrio under the basket for a lay-up, making the score, 47-24. With 6:45 to play, Davis picked up a loose ball, dishing it ahead to Castaneda, who was fouled on an attempt by Drew. He made one-of-two shots, trimming the lead to, 47-25.
Blanco dropped in a layup and followed it up with a three from the right wing, pushing their lead to, 52-25. With 4:08 to play Blanco dished the ball down low to Drew for a lay- up, and Garcia followed it up with a three from the right elbow, making th score, 5725, with 2:21 to play in the game.
Chase Coronado dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Rodriguez, but Valdez and Aaron Camacho closed out the game with back-toback lay-ups, as Dalhart took the contest, 61-27.
Castaneda led the Wildcats in scoring with 10 points, to go along with two rebounds, two steals and one block. Rodriguez contributed eight points, six rebounds, four assists and one block, while Barrio added five points, two steals, one rebound, one assist and one block.
Davis tallied two points, six rebounds and two steals, while Coronado finished with two points and one rebound.