The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team fell short on the road Friday evening in Shallowater, falling to the Fillies, 54- 44, in their second meeting of district play.
With the loss, the Lady Cats fall to 17- 8 overall, 7- 4 in district play.
Nevaeh Esquibel opened the contest with a three from the right elbow for the Lady Cats, and with 5:40 left to play in the opening quarter, Amoni Jefferson hit Ari Castillo under the basket with an inbound pass for a lay- up to put them up, 5- 0, as Shallowater took a time out to talk things over. Out of the break, Carli Buckley dropped in a put- back off of a miss by Linley Wright and Maggie Grimes followed it up with a three to tie the game, 55, with 2: 40 left to play in the first quarter.
With 1: 26 left to play in the quarter, Emma Kate Foster was fouled on a put- back attempt by Bri Martinez; she made oneof- two shots from the line and on their next possession, Keelie Williams was fouled on the floor by Cali Saldana. She converted both shots at the line to push the lead to, 8- 5. Grimes followed it up with a steal in their own end, dishing it to Foster for a quick lay- up to stretch the Shallowater lead to, 10-5, but with under a minutes to play in the quarter, Castillo drove the right side for a lay- up and she closed out the quarter with a put-back off of a miss by Madison Williams to cut the lead to, 10- 9.
Williams dropped in a putback off of a miss by Cali Saldana to open the second quarter for Littlefield, but Wright answered with a floater from the left side to put the Fillies back in front, 12- 11. Esquibel responded with a drive through the middle for a lay- up, but on the other end, Wright drew a blocking foul on Castillo, earning a trip to the line. She split the attempts at the line to tie the game, 13-13, with 6:26 left to play in the half.
Jefferson buried a three from the top of the key, but Shallowater quickly answered with a bucket to make the score, 16- 15. Cali Saldana drove the lane, dumping the ball off to Williams, who was fouled on an attempt by Buckley. She sank both free throws to stretch the Littlefield lead to three points, but it was short- lived, as Wright drained a three from the left wing to tie the game, 18-18.
With 2:19 to play in the half, Buckley was fouled on the floor by Williams, her second. She made one- of- two shots at the line and Wright followed it up with a fast-break lay-up off of a turnover by Castillo, putting the Fillies in front, 21- 18, as Littlefield took a time out with 1: 42 to play in the half.
Out of the break, Kamryn Ledbetter was fouled on an attempt by Nia Cleveland. She converted both shots at the line to extend their lead to 2318. Cali Saldana and Martinez would each split a pair of free throws, but Buckley closed out the half with a lay- up for the Fillies, making the score, 2520, going into the locker room at halftime.
Esquibel was called for a charge to open the second half, giving her her third foul, but on their next possession, Jefferson was fouled on an attempt by Grimes, her third. She made one- of- two shots from the line, making the score, 2521. Grimes responded with a lay- up off of the assist from Buckley, but Cali Saldana answered right back with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Castillo.
Wright dropped in a bucket for Shallowater, as they took a time out to talk things over, however out of the break, Wright was called for a charge, her third foul with just over five minutes remaining in the quarter. Cali Saldana capitalized on the turnover, as she banked in a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Williams and followed it up with a jumper from the right elbow off of the assist from Jefferson to tie the game, 2929.
Wright ended the run with a lay- up for the Fillies, drawing an and- one foul on Cali Saldana, her third. She converted the free throw to put them back in front, 32-29, with 3: 42 to play in the third quarter. After a Littlefield time out, Wright drove the left side for a lay-up, but Cobi Saldana answered with a jumper from the right wing, off of the assist from Jefferson to cut the lead to, 34-31.
Emie Lusk dropped in a layup for Shallowater, but Cali Saldana answered with a bucket to make the score, 3633, with 1:10 left to play in the third. Wright would close out the third quarter with a bucket for Shallowater, making the score, 38-33, going into the final quarter of play.
Jefferson took a charge on Ledbetter to open the final quarter and on the other end, Castillo was fouled on an attempt by Lillie Wells. She converted both shots at the line to make it a three- point game, 38- 35. Ledbetter dropped in a lay-up for the Fillies and Williams took a charge on Castillo to regain possession for Shallowater with 6: 29 to play in the game.
Grimes dropped in a lay- up off of an assist from Buckley and Lusk was fouled on a putback attempt by Castillo. She missed both free throws, but a lane violation on Esquibel gave her a third attempt, which she converted to push their lead to, 44-35. Buckley picked up a steal and took it to the hole for a fast- break lay- up, as Littlefield took a time out with 5: 24 to play in the game.
Out of the break, Jefferson was fouled by Williams, her fourth; she split the free throws to cut the lead to 10 points, but Lusk answered with a put- back off of a miss by Grimes to make the score, 48- 36. With 4: 24 to play, Castillo was fouled on the floor by Buckley and sank both free throws, but on the other end, Buckley was fouled on an attempt by Jefferson; she split the attempts, making the score, 38-49.
Jefferson split another pair of free throws after being fouled on a defensive rebound by Lusk and Castillo followed it up with a lay- up to make it a seven-point game, 48-41. After a Shallowater time out, Grimes dropped in a lay- up off of a Littlefield turnover and Wright was fouled on their next possession by Cobi Saldana. She sank both shots at the line to make the score, 52-41.
Castillo split a pair of free throws to make it a 10- point game, but with under a minute to go, Cali Saldana and Esquibel fouled out on backto- back plays, as Buckley split a pair of free throws to push their lead to, 53-42. Castillo and Buckley each split a pair of free throws to close out the game, as Littlefield fell to the Fillies, 54-44.
The Lady Cats were led by Castillo who netted 15 points and Cali Saldana, who finished with 11 points. Jefferson tallied six points, while Esquibel chipped in five points and Williams contributed four points, Cobi Saldana added two points, while Martinez finished with one point in the contest.
The Lady Cats hosted Muleshoe on Tuesday. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Friday with a road game against Roosevelt.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.