The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team rolled past the Andrews Fillies in their tournamentopener at the Wildcat Classic on Wednesday, 51-26.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 1-0 in tournament play.
Ari Castillo hit Amiah Elizondo for a lay-up in transition to open the contest and on their next possession, Kennadi Hanlin was fouled on a third-chance try by Kiki Morrison. She made one-of-two shots from the line to extend their lead to, 3-0. Castillo followed it up with a lay-up in the lane and Arianna Cruz kept the rally going with a layup off of the assist from Hanlin to push their lead to, 7-0, with 2:39 to play in the opening quarter.
Castillo hit Cruz in transition for a lay-up and Nevaeh Esquibel followed it up with a floater from the left side to push their lead to, 11-0, as the Fillies took a time out to talk things over. Out of the break, Castillo grabbed an offensive rebound off of the miss by Cali Saldana and dropped in a lay-up, stretching their lead to, 13-0.
With under a minute remaining in the quarter, Cruz scored a lay-up in transition, but with time winding down in the quarter, Morrison heaved up a deep three from the right elbow that found the bottom of the net to make the score, 15-3, as the first quarter came to a close.
Hanlin opened the second frame with a three from the left wing off of the assist from Castillo, but Ally Falford answered with a bucket to trim the lead to, 18-5. Castillo was fouled on an attempt by Casynn Tijerina and split the free throws, but Karley Colbath answered with a put-back for the Fillies to make the score, 19-7, with 5:20 to play in the first half.
Elizondo knocked down a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Marysa Saenz, but on the other end, Tori Rodea was fouled on an attempt by Elizondo; she converted both free throws, cutting the lead to, 22-9. Esquibel answere with a floater in the lane, drawing an andone foul on Colbath. She converted the free throw, pushing the lead to, 25-9.
With 1:45 remaining in the half, Esquibel drained a three from the right wing to push their lead to, 289, but on the other end, Anahi Mejia was fouled on an attempt by Danica Jouett. She converted both free throws to make the score, 28-11, but Cruz responded with a three from the right elbow, stretching it back out to, 31-11 with under a minute to go in the half.
Saenz closed out the half for Littlefield with a jumper from the left wing off of the assist from Jazmine Rosalez, making the score, 33-11, going into the locker room at halftime.
Morrison hit Falford in transition for a lay-up to open the second half, but on the next play, Hanlin took a charge on Morrison, giving her her third foul of the game. Littlefield couldn’t capitalize, as Andrews regained possession and Tijerina dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Falford, trimming the lead to, 3315.
With 4:43 to play in the third quarter, Esquibel was fouled on a floater attempt by Falford and split the free throws to extend the lead to, 34-15. Saenz followed it up with a three, but on the other end, Janelle Espinosa was fouled on an attempt by Castillo, earning a trip to the line. She converted one-of-two shots from the line, making the score, 3716, with 2:42 to play in the quarter.
Jouett knocked down a jumper from the right elbow, but Espinosa answered with a lay-up for Andrews making the score, 39-18, with under a minute to play in the third. With time winding down in the quarter, Hanlin knocked down a jumper from the right elbow, pushing their lead to, 41-18, going into the final quarter of play.
Hanlin drained a three from the right elbow to open the fourth quarter, but on the other end, Rodea was fouled on a put-back attempt by Elizondo, who picked up her fourth foul of the game. Rodea made both attempts from the line, making the score, 44-20, with 7:27 to play in the game. Falford knocked down a jumper from the right wing off of the assist from Morrison, but Hanlin answered with a bucket to push the lead back out to, 46-22.
Castillo went coast-to-coast for a lay-up, but Colbath answered with a lay-up of her own, as Andrews took a time out with 3:32 to play in the game. Out of the break, Morrison scored a lay-up off of a Littlefield turnover, but on the other end, Esquibel was fouled on an attempt by Falford, who picked up her fourth foul of the game. She made one-of two shots from the line to make the score, 49-26.
Rosalez knocked downa floater off the glass in the lane to close out the contest, as Littlefield moved into the winners bracket of the Wildcat Classic.
Hanlin led the Lady Cats in scoring with 11 points, and she was joined in double-figures scoring by Esquibel, who netted 10 points. Cruz tallied nine points, while Castillo chipped in seven points, and Saenz and Elizondo each finished with five points.
Rosalez and Jouett each tallied two points in the contest.
The Lady Cats played the winner of Dumas and Hale Center on Thursday evening for a spot in the championship game on Friday. Results were not available at press time