The Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team picked up their first district win of the season last Friday when they took down the Friona Squaws, 62-43.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 8-8 overall, 1-1 in district play.
Amoni Jefferson was fouled on an attempt by Aaliyah Padilla to open the contest. She sank both attempts at the line to put the Lady Cats in front, 2-0. Ari Castillo drove the middle, dropping in a lay-up, drawing an and- one foul on Padilla, her second. She converted the free throw to stretch the lead to, 5-0, with 7:03 to play in the first quarter.
Jefferson drove the right side for a lay-up, as Friona took a time out with 5:45 to play, trailing 7-0. Out of the break, Cali Saldana picked up a steal in their own end and took it to the hoop for a layup to stretch their lead to, 9-0. With 4:52 left to play in the first quarter, Cali Saldana drained a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Castillo, pushing the lead to, 12-0.
Brianna Martinez drained a three from the right elbow and Jefferson followed it up with a drive and kick out to Nevaeh, who was fouled on an attempt by Annison Steelman. She made one-of-two shots from the line to make the score, 16-0. Cali Saldana drained a three from the left wing off of an assist from Castillo and Jefferson followed it up with a lay-up off of a Friona turnover, making the score, 21-0, with 2:56 to play in the quarter.
Littlefield took a time out with 2:29 to play in the quarter, and out of the break, Padilla dropped in a lay-up in transition to get the Squaws on the board. Kitzy Welch knocked down a jumper in the lane to trim the lead to, 21-4. In the closing seconds of the quarter, Harley London was fouled on an attempt by Nia Cleveland; she made the first shot and missed the second but she followed it up with a jumper from the left wing to make the score, 21-7, going into quarter number two.
Welch knocked down a short jumper from the right side to open the second quarter for Friona, but Madison Williams answered with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Cali Saldana, pushing the lead to, 24-9.
Padilla dropped in a floater from the left elbow and on their next possession, London picked up a steal and was fouled on the fastbreak by Williams. She made oneof- two shots from the line, trimming the lead to 24-12, 6:28. With 5:50 to play in the half, Welch was fouled on an attempt by Jefferson, her second. She made one-of-two shots from the line, making the score, 24-13.
Castillo dropped in a lay-up off of the inbound pass from Cali Saldana under the basket, but Reese Steelman answered with a jumper from the left wing and Padilla was followed it up with a lay-up on the left side, making the score, 26-17. With 4:01 to play in the half, London was fouled on an attempt by Cleveland, her second. She split the attempts at the line, but Cobi Saldana answered with a three from the right wing off of the assist from Castillo, making the score, 29-18.
With 2:18 remaining in the half, Aimee Jimenez was fouled on an attempt by Cali Saldana, her second; she converted both shots at the line to cut the lead to singledigits, 29-20. Castillo and Jefferson each split a pair of free throws for the Lady Cats, but on the other end, Welch was fouled on an attempt by Castillo; she converted both shots at the line to trim the lead to, 31-22, with 1:38 remaining in the half.
Jefferson buried a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Castillo, but with under a minute to play in the half, Padilla was fouled on a defensive rebound by Cobi Saldana; she split the attempts and Jefferson closed out the half with a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Jimenez. She converted the free throw to make the score, 37-23, going into the locker room at halftime.
Williams was fouled on a putback attempt by Jimenez to open the second half; she converted both shots at the line, making the score, 39-23. On the other end, Padilla drew a shooting foul on Cali Saldana, her third. She sank both attempts at the line, making the score, 39-25, as Littlefield took a time out with 5:19 to play in the third quarter.
Bri Valdez drained a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Williams and Jefferson and Castillo ran the give-and-go in transition, as Jefferson dished it to Castillo, who gave it back to Jefferson, who dropped in a layup, drawing an and-one foul on Padilla, her fourth. She missed the free throw, leaving the score, 4425.
Castillo picked up a steal and dropped it in for a fast-break layup, but Friona answered with a bucket on the other end to make the score, 46-27, with 2:48 to play in the game. Cobi Saldana knocked down a jumper from the left elbow off of the assist from Castillo and Jefferson followed it up with a layup off of a steal, drawing and-one foul on London, her second. She converted the free throw, pushing the lead to, 51-27.
Jefferson kept it going with back-to-back lay-ups off of assists from Castillo, but on the other end, Reese Steelman was fouled on an attempt by Castillo, her second. She split the attempts at the line and on their next possession, Yase Faudoa was fouled on an attempt by Cobi Saldana. She converted both shots at the line to trim the lead to, 55-30. With time winding down in the third quarter, Castillo passed the ball into Jefferson, who was fouled on the attempt by London, her third. She split the attempts, making the score, 56-30, going into the final quarter of play.
Mattie Seymour opened the fourth quarter with a steal, taking it to the hoop for a fast-break layup, but on the other end, Padilla was fouled on an attempt by Seymour; she sank both attempts from the line, making the score, 5834, with 6:28 to play in the game. Padilla drove the right baseline for a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Cobi Saldana. She missed the free throw leaving the score, 5836, with 5:44 left to play in the game.
Friona took a time out to prevent a turnover, and out of the break, Padilla dropped in a floater from the right side and London drained a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Padilla, cutting the lead to, 58-41, with 3:52 to play in the game. Castillo dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Cali Saldana and she followed it up with a drive along the left baseline for a lay-up, pushing the lead back out to 62-41.
Padilla dropped in a lay-up in the closing seconds for Friona, as Littlefield took the first district meeting, 62-43.
The Lady Cats were led by Jefferson, who tallied 23 points, while Castillo chipped in 12 points, and Cali Saldana contributed eight points. Cobi Saldana and Williams each netted five points, while Martinez contributed three points, and Seymour added two points. Esquibel finished with one point in the contest.