The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team opened district play at home on Tuesday with a win over the Muleshoe Mules, 6849, at Wildcat Gymnasium.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 1-0 in district play on the season.
Irvin Torres took a charge on Jeremiah Trevino to open the game and Sebastian Kirven followed it up with a lay-up off of an assist from Torres to put the Mules in front, 2-0. Zeke Saenz answered with a lay-up off of an assist from Elijah Salazar and he followed it up with a put-back off of a miss by Trevino to make the score, 4-2.
Kirven finished off an alley-oop from Adam Alarcon with a lay-up to tie the game, 4-4, but Saenz answered with back-to-back putbacks, drawing an and-one foul on the second one, on Davian McMullen. He converted the free throw to push their lead to, 9-4, with 5:06 remaining in the opening quarter. Torres picked up a steal and took it to the hole for a lay-up off of the turnover by Ryan Williams and Alarcon got the ball inside to Kirven on their next possession, who finished off the play with a lay-up to cut Littlefield’s lead to one point, 9-8.
With 3:41 remaining, Chip Green grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled on a put-back attempt by McMullen; he sank both free throws to make the score, 11-8, but on the other end, Alarcon was fouled on an attempt by Ja’Den Williams. He made one-of-two shots at the line to trim the lead to, 11-9.
McMullen picked up a steal and took it to the hoop for a fast-break lay-up to tie the game, 11-11, but on the next play, Q Busby hit Omar Martinez with an outlet pass for a lay-up, as he drew an and-one foul on Torres. Martinez converted the free throw to stretch their lead back out to, 14-11, with 1:49 to play in the quarter.
Martinez dropped in a floater in the lane off of an assist from MJ Randle, but Torres answered with a reverse lay-up to make the score, 16-13, heading into quarter number two.
Eliasar Ciseneros knocked down a three from the top of the key to open the second frame for Muleshoe, but Green answered with a three from the left elbow to put the Wildcats back in front, 1916. Torres again answered for the Mules with a three from the left elbow to knot the game, 19-19, but it was short-lived as Ryan Williams went coast-to-coast finishing with a scoop lay-up at the rim to make the score, 21-19.
Ryan Williams followed it up with a floater in the lane, but Muleshoe responded, as Kirven drove on Saenz finishing at the rim with a lay-up to trim the lead to, 23-21, with 5:03 remaining. Ryan Williams hit Green with an outlet pass, as he finished with a floater in the lane, and Salazar followed it up with a lay-up off of an assist from Martinez to push their lead to, 27-21.
Green drained a three from the left elbow off of an assist from Salazar, as Muleshoe took a time out with 3:03 to play in the half, trailing Littlefield, 30-21. Out of the break, Martinez picked up a steal and took it to the hoop for a fastbreak lay-up to extend their lead to, 32-21. With McMullen was fouled on a shot attempt by Busby and sank both free throws at the line, but Randle answered with a three from the right elbow to stretch the lead to, 35-23, with 1:56 remaining in the half.
Saenz forced a five-second call on McMullen, but Littlefield couldn’t capitalize, as Alarcon took a charge on Martinez with under a minute remaining in the half. Torres drained a three from the top of the key, but on the other end, Green was fouled on a threepoint attempt by Josiah Barron and converted all three shots at the line to make the score, 38-26. Green would close out the half with a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Martinez, pushing their lead to, 41-26, going into the locker room at halftime.
Ryan Williams opened the second half with a three from the right wing off of the assist from Green, as Muleshoe took a time out with 6:08 to play in the third quarter. Out of the break, Torres split and Alarcon each split a pair of free throws for the Mules, but Salazar answered with a drive-and-dump to Green, who was fouled on the shot attempt by Ciseneros. He made both shots at the line to push their lead to, 46-28, with 4:45 to play in the third quarter.
Torres was called for a charge and on the next play, Martinez was fouled on an attempt by Barron; he converted both free throws to make the score, 48- 28. Tate Shipman responded with a lay-up for Muleshoe, but Saenz dropped in a put-back on the other end, off of an assist from Randle to extend the lead to, 50-30, with 2:50 remaining in the quarter.
Torres drove to the basket for a lay-up and McMullen followed it up with a lay-up off of an assist from Jesus Hernandez, but the Wildcats closed out the quarter with a bucket from Ja’Den Williams to make the score, 54-32, going into the final quarter of play.
Alarcon got the ball inside to Nathan Martens for a lay-up, and he drew an and-one foul on the play on Trevino. Martens converted the free throw to make the score, 54-35, and Alarcon followed it up with a lay-up off of a steal to make the score, 54-37. Saenz responded with a lay-up off of a back-door cut to make the score, 56-37, but Muleshoe answered with a bucket to make the score, 56-39, and Saenz was called for a charge on the next play to give possession back to Muleshoe with 5:55 to play in the game.
Muleshoe took a time out and out of the break, Salazar was fouled on the floor by McMullen, who picked up his fourth foul of the game. Salazar made one-of-two shots on the one-in-one opportunity to make the score, 55-40, as Littlefield took a time out with 5:09 remaining. Out of the break, Saenz dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Salazar and he followed it up with another lay-up off of an assist from Trevino to push their lead to, 59-40.
Ryan Williams heaved an outlet pass down court to Green on the fast-break, who finished the play with a lay-up, but Muleshoe answered, as Sergio Magiallanes dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Alarcon, trimming the lead to, 61-42.
Martinez drew a blocking foul on Barron and sank both free throws, but Torres answered with a three from the right elbow, trimming the lead to, 63-45, as Littlefield took another time out with 2:15 to play. Out of the break, Barron was fouled on the floor by Ja’Den Williams; he split the attempts at the line, and on the other end, Martinez was fouled on the floor by Alarcon. He sank both free throws to push their lead to, 6546, with 1:47 to play in the game.
Randle sent a pass through traffic to Martinez for a lay-up and after a Mules’ time out, Ja’Den Williams split a pair of free throws to make the score, 68-46, with under a minute to play. Torres buried a three from the top of the key for Muleshoe, as Littlefield went on to take the contest, 68-49.
Green led the Wildcats in scoring with 18 points, while Saenz joined him in double-figures scoring with 17 points and Martinez netted 15 points. Ryan Williams tallied seven points, while Salazar, Ja’Den Williams and Randle each finished with three points in the contest.
The Wildcats were at Denver City on Friday as district play continues. They will continue their season on Tuesday with a home game against Brownfield.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.