The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team dropped a heart-breaker on Tuesday in the Class 3ADI Bi-district round of the basketball play-offs, as they fell to the Bushland Lady Falcons, 60-58, at Dimmitt High School.
With the loss, the Lady Cats close out the season with a mark of 21-13 overall, 10-6 in district play.
Gracie Williams drove the middle for a lay-up to open the contest for Bushland, sparking a, 16-0, scoring run for the Lady Falcons.
With 1:49 to play in the opening quarter, Madison Williams buried a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Cobi Saldana and Amoni Jefferson followed it up on their next possession with a bounce to Saldana, who was cutting to the basket for a lay-up, trimming the lead to, 16-5.
With just over a minute remaining in the quarter, Williams dished the ball ahead to Saldana, who drained a three from the right wing, slicing the lead to, 16-8. Sami Grice responded with a three from the right wing for Bushland, but Jefferson dropped in a lay-up through contact in the lane to make the score, 19-10. With time winding down in the quarter, Sami Grice dropped in a lay-up through contact from Jefferson to push the Busland lead to, 21-10, heading into quarter number two.
Jefferson was fouled on an attempt by Berklee Billington to open the second frame; she made oneof- two shots at the line and on their next possession, Nia Cleveland tipped an offensive rebound out to Zalise Davis, who drove to the basket finishing with a layup to trim the lead to, 2113. Saldana followed it up with a three from the right wing and she kept it going on defense, picking up a steal, taking it the other way for a fast-break lay-up, cutting the lead to, 21-18, with 5:04 to play in the first half.
Bushland took a time out with 5:01 to play in the half, and out of the break, Ella Grice drew a block on Jefferson, earning a trip to the line. She converted both shots at the line, pushing their lead back out to, 2318. Sami Grice and Charley Freeman dropped in back-to-back lay-ups for the Lady Falcons, before Cleveland was fouled, earning a trip to the line for the Lady Cats. She made both free throws, and Davis followed it up with a steal in their own end, taking it in for a lay-up to make it a five-point game, 27-22.
Gracie Williams banked in a runner off the glass, but on the other end, Saldana drove the right side for a lay-up, making the score, 29-24. With time winding down in the half, Jefferson hit Madison Williams with an outlet pass for the layup in transition, but Gracie Williams banked in a runner from the right side, making the score, 31-26, going into the locker room at halftime.
Saldana opened the second half with a lay-up for Littlefield and Madison Williams followd it up with a jumper from the right elbow to make it a one- point game, 31-30, with 6:52 to play in the third. Sami Grice dropped in a lay-up for the Lady Falcons, and Ella Grice split a pair of free throws after being fouled on an attempt by Davis, pushing their lead back out to, 34-30.
Davis drove the right side for a lay-up and Madison Williams followed it up with a three from the right elbow, off of an assist from Saldana to give the Lady Cats their first lead of the game, 35-34. With 4:25 remaining, Cleveland dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Jefferson, as the Lady Falcons took a time out, trailing the Lady Cats, 3734.
Out of the break, Billington knocked down a fall-away floater from the right elbow, but on the other end, Davis drove the lane, dumping the ball off to Cleveland, who dropped in a lay-up, drawing an andone foul on Gracie Williams. She missed the free throw leaving the score, 39-36.
With under three minutes to play in the third quarter, Billington buried back-toback threes to put Bushland back in front, 42-39. Davis answered with a drive on the right side for a lay-up, but Sami Grice responded with a drive on the right side for alay-up, making the score, 44- 43, in favor Bushland. Billington would close out the quarter with a floater in the lane, putting the Lady Falcons in front, 46-43, going into the final quarter of play.
Billington was fouled on a put-back attempt by Davis to open the fourth quarter. She made one-of-two shots at the line and Freeman followed it up with a floater from the right side to stretch their lead to, 49-43. Cleveland split a pair of free throws after being fouled by Freeman and Madison Williams followed it up with a three from the right wing, off of the assist from Jefferson, as Littlefield took a time out with 5:57 to play, trailing the Lady Falcons, 49-47.
Out of the break, Jefferson knocked down a jumper from the left wing, but Sami Grice answered with a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Jefferson. She missed the free throw, leaving the score, 51-49. On the other end, Madison Williams got the ball down low to Cleveland for a lay-up on the right side to tie the game, 51-51, but Bushland answered to regain the lead, 53-51, and Gracie Williams followed it up with a putback off of a miss by Freeman off of a turnover by Davis, making the score, 5551.
With 1:41 to play, Davis drove the middle for a layup, trimming the lead to, 5553. Both teams took a time out and with 1:01 to play, Gracia Williams drove the lane dumping the ball off to Ella Grice for a lay-up, making the score, 57-53. With under a minute to go, Gracie Williams hit Ella Grice on a back-door cut for a lay-up, as Littlefield took a time out, trailing, 59-53.
Out of the break, Madison Williams buried a three from the top of the key off of the inbound play, as Littlefield took a time out with 9.3 seconds to play in the game. Out of the break, Jefferson stole the inbound pass and dropped in a layup, drawing an and-one foul to tie the game. Prior to the free throw, Bushland took a time out, and out of the break, Jefferson missed the free throw, leaving the score, 59-58.
Gracie Williams was fouled on the floor by Madison Williams and made oneof- two shots to close out the game, as Littlefield fell to Bushland, 60-58.
The Lady Cats were led by Williams, who netted 16 points, while Saldana chipped in 14 points and Davis tallied 12 points. Cleveland added nine points and Jefferson finished with seven points.