The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team won their season-opener last Saturday, 47-40, on the road against the Estacado Lady Matadors.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 1-0 overall on the year.
Addie McNeal got the Lady Matadors on the board with a lay-up off of a steal, but Madison Williams answered with a three from the left elbow for Littlefield, putting the Lady Cats in front, 3-2, with 7:20 to play in the opening quarter. With just over seven minutes remaining in the first quarter, Aaleigha Hennings was fouled on an attempt by Amoni Jefferson. She made one-of-two shots at the line to tie the game, 3-3.
Jefferson responded, as she drove the lane for a layup and on their next possession, Zalise Davis was fouled on a fast-break by Hennings, earning a trip to the line. She converted oneof- two shots from the line to stretch their lead to, 6-3. On the other end, McNeal drew a shooting foul on Davis and sank both shots at the line to make it a onepoint game, and Kalani Inthisan-Johnson followed it up with a lay-up off of a steal in their own end to give Estcado the lead, 7-6, with 3:28 to play in the first quarter.
With 2:46 remaining in the quarter, Jefferson was fouled on an attempt by Jada Phea. She made oneof- two shots from the line to knot the game up, 7-7. Estacado took a time out with 1:13 to play in the first quarter to prevent a turnover, and out of the break, Azariah Reed dropped in a floater in the lane to put Estacado back in front, 97.
With time winding down in the quarter, Danali Perez was fouled on the floor by Davis, her second foul. She converted both free throws, as Estacado took an, 11-7, lead into quarter number two.
Johnson opened the second frame with a lay-up on the left side, but on the other end, Cobi Saldana hit Jefferson for a lay-up, as she drew an and-one foul on Kamyra O’Neal. She converted the three throw to make it a three-point game, 13-10. With 4:28 remaining in the first half, Davis was fouled on an attempt by McNeal, earning a trip to the line. She converted both free throw to cut the lead to one point, 1213, but McNeal would answer with a three from the left wing, pushing their lead back out to,16-12, with just over four minutes remaining in the half.
Jefferson responded with a three from the right elbow to make it a one- point game, and she followed it up with a drive on the right baseline, dropping in a layup off of the assist from Aubree Richardson, putting Littlefield back in front, 1716. With 2:08 to play in the half, Williams dropped in a put-back off of her own miss to push their lead to, 19-16.
With 1:34 to play in the half, Saldana inbounded the ball from the sideline to Jefferson, who was fouled on an attempt by Hennings, her second. Jefferson sank both free throws to make it a five-point game, 21-16. With under a minute to go in the half, Richardson hit Williams on the fast-break for a lay-up, but on the other end, Johnson was fouled on an attempt bi Nia Cleveland, sending her to the line for free throws. She converted both attempts at the line to trim the lead to, 2318.
In the closing seconds of the half, the Lady Matadors picked up a steal and got it to Johnson for a lay-up on the fast-break to make the score, 23-20, with Littlefield leading, going into the locker room at halftime.
Jefferson opened the second half with a three from the right wing and Davis followed it up with a jumper from the left elbow off of a turnover by Estacado, pushing the lead back out to, 2820. Perez answered with a floater in the lane, but Jefferson came right back on the other end and dropped in a lay-up off of the fast-break, extending the lead to, 30-22.
Estacado took a time out to talk things over with 5:29 remaining in the third quarter and out of the break, Johnson was fouled on an attempt by Williams. She converted both free throws, trimming the lead to, 30-24. Williams was called for a charge with 4:15 to play in the third and Estacado capitalized on the extra possession, as Perez scored a putback off of her own miss to make it a four-point game, 30-26.
Reed took a charge on Saldana, but Littlefield would regain possession, as Jefferson scored a fastbreak lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on McNeal. The free throw was no good, leaving the score, 3226, with 2:39 remaining in the third quarter. With under a minute to play, Reed was fouled on the floor by Davis, her third. Reed was injured on the play, as O’Neal came in to shoot the free throws. She converted one-of-two shots at the line, making the score, 32-27, heading into the final quarter of play.
Johnson dropped in a layup to open the fourth quarter and on the other end, Jefferson drew a blocking foul on Hennings. She converted one-of-two shots at the line, extending the lead to, 33-29. With six minutes to play, Johnson was fouled on an attempt by Richardson and converted both free throws to make it a one-possession game, 3331.
Cleveland drew a shooting foul on Perez and made one-of-two free throws, but Perez answered with a layup to make it a one-point game, 34-33, with 4:52 to play in the game. Richardson would answer with a three from the right elbow to push the lead back out to, 37-33, as Littlefield took a time out to talk things over.
Out of the break, Reed drained a three from the right elbow and Debriyah Britt picked up a steal from Williams and took it the other way for a fast-break lay-up to put Estacado back in front, 38-37, with 3:18 left to play. Jefferson was fouled on an attempt by Hennings and made both shots from the line to regain the lead for Littlefield, but on the other end, Johnson spun to the basket for a layup on the left side, making the score, 40-49, in favor of Estacado.
With just under two minutes to play Davis was fouled on the floor by Reed, earning a trip to the line. She made one of two free throws to tie the game, 4040, and on the next play, Jefferson caught the outlet pass, taking it to the hoop for a lay-up, to put the Lady Cats back in front, 42-40.
With under a minute to play, Williams picked up a steal in their own end and passed it to Jefferson, who found Saldana on the right elbow for three, stretching their lead to, 45- 40. Estacado took a time out with 42.4 seconds to play and with time winding down in the game, Davis was fouled on the floor by Reed and sank both free throws to ice the game, 47-40.
Jefferson led the team with 25 points, to go along with 11 rebounds, six steals and two assists, while Davis tallied eight points, five rebounds, three steals, two blocks and one assist. Williams chipped in seven points, five rebounds and two assists, while Richardson added three points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal.
Saldana contributed three points, five rebounds and two steals, while Cleveland added one point and three rebounds and Ray finished with one rebound.