The Olton Mustang’s varsity basketball team edged out the Floydada Whirlwinds on Friday, 53-47, during the Summer Shootout Basketball Tournament that was held at Wildcat Gym in Littlefield.
Nathan Urbina got the first half going with a floater in the lane for Olton, but TY Henderson answered on the other end, with a fall-away jumper from the left elbow to tie the game, 2-2. Jayson Cooper hit Henderson for a layup in transition to give Floydada the lead, 4-2, and Abran Castillo followed it up with a lay-up off of a steal to extend their lead to, 6-2, with 15:45 left to play in the first half.
With 15:28 remaining in the half, Brennon Huguley was fouled on an attempt and converted the free throw to cut the lead to, 6-4, but two possessions later, Castillo dropped in a lay-up to make it a four-point lead, 8-4, for the Whirlwinds. Jake Soliz answered with a lay-up for Olton, but Henderson came right back on the other end and buried a three from the right elbow to push their lead to, 11-6, with 13:24 remaining in the half.
Huguley drew a shooting foul and converted the free throw to trim the lead to, 11-8, as Floydada took a time out with 8:39 left to play in the first half. Out of the break, Sebastian Sparkman dropped in a lay-up for the Mustangs to make it a one-point game, and Raymond Ramirez followed it up with a three from the left wing to regain the lead for Olton, 13-11.
Andrew Martinez kept the rally going with a pull-up jumper in the lane, but on the other end, Braun Hobbs was fouled on a put-back attempt and converted the free throw to stop the run for Olton, cutting the lead to, 15-13. With under five minutes to play in the half, Soliz buried a three from the right elbow, but Floydada responded, as Brett Brittain dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Henderson and Sergio Valdez scored a put-back to cut the Olton lead to, 18-17.
With 3:15 remaining in the half, Martinez was fouled on an attempt and converted the free throw to make it a three-point Mustang lead, 20-17, and Huguley followed it up with a mid-range jumper from the left wing, off of the assist from Soliz to stretch the lead back out to, 22-17.
Henderson drained a three from the top of the key to make it a onepossession lead for Olton, but Huguley dropped in a lay-up and picked up the and-one foul to keep it a five-point Olton lead, 25-20, with just over two minutes to play in the half.
Cooper and Soliz exchanged made free throws and Paul Lopez knocked down a short-jumper from the right side off of the assist from Soliz to close out the half with the Mustangs on top, 29-22.
Valdez opened the second half with a floater from the left elbow for Floydada and Hobbs followed it up with a lay-up off of the assist from Castillo to cut the lead to three points, 29-26. With 16:20 remaining, Hobbs converted a free throw to make it a one-point Mustang lead and Cooper dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Henderson to give the Whirlwinds the lead, 30-29.
Huguley dropped in a put-back, drawing the and-one foul on the play to give Olton a, 32-30, advantage, with 13:40 remaining in the game. Hobbs tied the game with a lay-up, but it was short-lived, as Huguley knocked down a jumper in the lane and Soliz followed it up with a put-back off of his own miss to make the score, 36-32. Hobbs knocked down a turnaround jumper in the lane for Floydada, but on the other end, Soliz was fouled on an attempt by Hobbs and converted the free throw to make the score, 38-34, with 11:51 left to play in the game.
Valdez buried a three from the right wing off of the assist from Cooper to make it a one-point game, but after a missed free throw from Huguley, Ramirez dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Joel Olivas, making the score, 40-37, with 10:21 remaining. Huguley followed it up with a put-back off of his own miss, but on their next possession Hobbs took a charge on Soliz with 9:11 left to play in the game.
With 8:32 remaining in the contest, Soliz drew a blocking foul on Valdez, earning a trip to the freethrow line. He converted the free throw and followed it up with a lay-up and an and-one foul on the play, stretching their lead to, 47-37.
With 4:48 remaining, Urbina was fouled on an attempt by Brittain and converted the free throw to stretch the Olton lead to 12-points, 49-37. Huguley took a charge on Cooper and Urbina dropped in a floater on the other end, off of the assist from Huguley to extend their lead to, 51-37. Brittain dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Cooper, as Olton took a time out with 2:01 remaining. Out of the break, Cooper scored a lay-u-up off of a steal, but Lopez answered with a lay-up on the other end for Olton, pushing their lead to, 53-41.
Valdez knocked down a three from the left elbow for Floydada and on the next play he split a pair of free throws; Hagen Hinsley was there for the put-back on the missed free throw, as Olton took down Floydada, 53-47.