The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team cruised past the Muleshoe Lady Mules on Friday, 64-31, to close out the first half of district play.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 17-6 overall, 6-0 in district play.
Arianna Cruz opened the game with a floater from the right side off of an assist from Kennadi Hanlin and on the defensive end, Cruz took a charge on Rylie Woodard, regaining possession for the Lady Cats. With 6:28 to play in the opening quarter, Ari Castillo used a euro-step to get to the basket for a lay-up, stretching their lead to, 4-0.
Julie Diaz dropped in a lay-up to get the Lady Mules on the board, but on the other end, Cruz hit Castillo on the pick-and-roll for a lay-up, stretching their lead to, 6-2, with just over five minutes left to play in the opening quarter. Cali Saldana drove the lane for a layup, but with 2:34 left to play in the first quarter, Payton Otwell was fouled on an attempt by Saldana, earning a trip to the line. She made one-of-two shots from the line, trimming the lead to, 8-3.
Cruz answered with a three from the left wing off of an assist from Amiah Elizondo, pushing their lead to, 11-3. Avery Cantu dropped in a bucket for the Lady Mules, but on the next play, Hanlin took a charge on Idaly Tarango, regaining possession for Littlefield. With just over a minute remaining in the quarter, Castillo was fouuled on the floor by Daniella Sanchez. She made one-of-two shots from the line and followed it up with a layup off of the assist from Jazmin Rosalez, pushing the lead to, 14-5, as the first quarter came to a close.
Diaz opened the second quarter with a three from the left elbow and the Lady Cats took a 30-second time out with 6:28 left to play in the half, and out of the break, Marysa Saenz knocked down a jumper from the left wing, off of an assist from Cruz. Hanlin followed it up with a floater off of the glass to stretch their lead to, 18-8.
With 4:34 to play in the half, Hanlin drove the left baseline for a lay-up, off of an assist from Castillo, but Cantu answered with a three from the right elbow, trimming the lead to, 20-11. Castillo responded with a lay- up and Hanlin followed it up with a layup off of a steal to push their lead to, 24-11.
Saenz kept it going with a drive along the left baseline for a layup, but Woodard answered with a lay-up for the Lady Mules, making the score, 26-13. With 2:30 remaining in the half, Nevaeh Esquibel dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Saenz and Saldana knocked down a pull-up jumper from the left elbow, making the score, 30-13.
Aubrey Granados drained a three from the right elbow, but Castillo answered with another layup off of a steal, but Otwell knocked down a bucket for Muleshoe to make the score, 3218. In the closing seconds, Castillo dropped in a lay-up to extend their lead to, 34-18, going into the locker room at halftime.
Castillo grabbed a steal and went coast-to-coast for a lay-up to open the second half for Littlefield, but on the other end, Yazlynn Ramirez dropped in a layup to make the score, 36-20. Saenz picked up a steal in the mid-court and took it to the hoop for a fastbreak lay-up and Castillo followed it up with a lay-up off of the assist from Rosalez, pushing their lead to, 40-20, with 4:12 to play in the third quarter.
Otwell and Granados dropped in back-to-back lay-ups for the Lady Mules, but Hanlin answered with a jumper from the right side, making the score, 44-24. With time winding down in the quarter, Saldana knocked down a three from the right elbow and in the closing seconds, Cruz drained a three from the left wing off of the assist from Saldana, stretching the lead to, 50-24, as the third quarter came to a close.
Castillo dropped in a lay-up in transition off of the assist from Cruz on the two-on-one break, making the score, 52-24. Otwell knocked down a three from the left wing and on the defensive end, Woodward took a charge on Elizondo to regain possession for the Lady Mules with just under seven minutes remaining in the game.
With 5:28 left to play, Cruz poked the ball away and it was picked up by Saenz, who got it ahead to Cruz on the fast-break for a lay-up, extending the lead to, 54- 27. Muleshoe took a 30-second time out and out of the break, Diaz knocked down a three from the right elbow to cut the lead to, 5430.
With just under three minutes to go, Rosalez was fouled on a putback attempt by Sanchez, who picked up her third foul of the game. She made one-of-two shots from the line and Cruz followed it up with a three from the top of the key, stretching the lead to, 58-30. Ramirez was fouled on a jumper attempt by Esquibel and made one-of-two shots from the line, but on the other end, Esquibel answered with a three from the left elbow, off of an assist from Saenz, making the score, 61-31.
Saldana closed out the game with a three from the right wing, making the score, 64-31, as the Lady Cats took down the Lady Mules to close out the first half of district play.
The Lady Cats were led in scoring by Castillo, who tallied 21 points. She was joined in doublefigures scoring by Cruz who contributed 13 points, and Saldana, who added 10 points.
Hanlin chipped in eight points, while Saenz contributed six points, and Esquibel tallied five points. Rosalez added one point in the contest.
The Lady Cats hosted Denver City on Tuesday to open the second half