The Olton Fillies’ varsity basketball team rallied back from being down 11 in the third quarter to take down the Denver City Fillies in their Wildcat Classic Tournamentopener on Monday, 43-39.
With the win, the Fillies improve to 1-0 in tournament play on the week.
Mariana Gallegos buried a three from the top of the key, off of an assist from Kaleigh Geldenhuys to open the contest, but Julissa Granados answered with a put-back and Annie Gonzalez dropped in a lay-up in transition to put Denver City in front, 4-3, with 6:58 to play in the opening quarter.
Natalie Ceniceros dropped in a lay-up and Gracie Dawson followed it up with a second-chance layup to push their lead to, 8-3, with just over five minutes remaining in the first quarter. Amie Beelitz dropped in a lay-up to end the scoring drought for Olton, but on the other end, Daniela Vega was fouled on an attempt by Beelitz. She made the first, but was called for a lane violation on the second attempt, leaving the score, 9-5.
Geldenhuys dropped in a lay-up on the left side, off of an assist from Ella Azam and Kambri Ruiz tied the game with a lay-up, making the score, 9-9, with just under three minutes to go in the quarter. Gallegos kept it going with a steal as she got the ball to Azam on the twoon- one break for a lay-up, putting Olton in front, 11-9.
Gonzalez dropped in a layup off of the inbound pass from Evelynn Yanez to tie the game for Denver City and Yanez followed it up with a lay-up in transition off of the assist from Gonzalez. With time winding down in the quarter, Taryn Smith would knock down a jumper from the left side to knot the game up, 13-13, going into quarter number two.
Vega was fouled on an attempt by Azam to open the second frame and she split the free throws, making the score, 14-13, in favor of Denver City. With 4:47 to play in the half, Ceniceros was fouled on an attempt by Azam, her second. She converted both attempts at the line to push the Denver City lead to, 16-13. Karen Martinez dropped in a lay-up in transition, as Olton took a time out with 3:01 remaining in the half, trailing Denver City, 18-13.
Out of the break, Yanez and Ceniceros each split a pair of free throws to push their lead to, 20-13, going into the locker room at halftime.
Ceniceros opened the second half, drawing a shooting foul on Geldenhuys, her second. She converted both free throws to push their lead to, 22-13, with 7:26 left to play in the third quarter. Granados dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Ceniceros in transition, but Gallegos answered with a three from the top of the key to trim the lead to, 24-16.
Granados split a pair of free throws, after being fouled on an attempt by Smith, but Smith responded with a floater in the lane, off of an assist from Harlow Gorman to trim the lead to, 25-18, with 5:13 to play in the quarter. Ceniceros dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Granados, but Smith answered with a lay-up off of the inbound pass from Gorman under the basket, cutting the lead to seven points, 27-20.
Denver City took a time out with four minutes to play in the third quarter and out of the break, Azam dropped in a floater from the left elbow and she followed it up with a steal on their own end, which led to a lay-up, as she drew an and-one foul on Gonzalez with 3:13 to play in the quarter. She converted the free throw to make it a one-possession Denver City lead, 2725. Azam stayed hot, as she buried a three from the right elbow, off f the assist from Geldenhuys to give Olton a one-point advantage, 28-27.
Olton forced a turnover on the inbound play and they followed it up with a bucket to stretch their lead to, 3027. Ceniceros scored backto- back buckets for Denver City to put them back in front, 31-30, as the third quarter came to a close.
Martinez opened the fourth quarter with a lay-up for Denver City, but Jentry Bressler drained a three to tie the game, 33-33, with just under six minutes to go. Ceniceros hit Dawson on a back-door cut for a lay-up, but Ruiz answered with a put-back off of a miss by Beelitz, keeping the game tied, 35-35, as Denver City took a time out with 4:13 to play in the game.
Out of the break, Azam drained a three from the left elbow, off of an assist from Gorman and Olton forced a turnover on the following inbound play with 3:32 left in regulation. Smith picked up a steal at midcourt and took it to the hoop for a lay-up, but Gonzalez responded with a lay-up in transition for Denver City, making the score, 40-37, with 2:28 to play in the game.
Azam knocked down a floater in the lane for Olton, but Granados dropped in a lay-up, as Denver City quickly called time out with 1:29 to play, trailing Olton, 4239. With 2.7 seconds left, Geldenhuys split a pair of free throws to ice the game, 4339.
Azam led the Fillies with 15 points, while Smith tallied eight points and Gallegos finished with six points. Ruiz chipped in four points, while Bressler and Geldenhuys each added three points and Beelitz finished with two points.