The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team won their homeopener on Tuesday night against Hale Center, taking down the Lady Owls, 55-41.
With the win the Lady Cats improve to 2-0 overall on the season.
Ari Castillo opened the contest with a lay-up for Littlefield, drawing an and-one foul on Mariyah Espinosa. The free throw was no good and Espinosa answered on the other end for Hale Center, as she buried a three from the right elbow to put the Lady Owls in front, 3-2, with 7:38 to play in the opening quarter.
Chloe Baca took a charge on Cruz to regain possession for Hale Center, but they couldn’t capitalize, as Littlefield got the ball back and Ari Castillo dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Kennadi Hanlin in transition to make the score, 4-3. With 3:57 to play in the first quarter, Hanlin was fouled on an attempt by Baca and sank both shots at the line to extend their lead to, 6-3.
After a Littlefield turnover on an inbound play, Jaydee Castillo was fouled on an attempt by Amiah Elizondo. She converted both shots at the line to cut the lead to one point, 6-5, as Hale Center took a time out with 3:37 to play in the quarter. Out of the break, Ari Castillo was fouled on the floor by Espinosa, and she converted both shots at the line to make the score, 8-5.
With 2:41 to play, Hanlin was fouled on the floor by Kandace Franklin; Hanlin would make oneof- two shots at the line, making the score, 9-5. Jaydee Castillo answered on the other end with a jump-hook in the lane to make it a one-possession Littlefield lead, 9-7, but on the other end, Ari Castillo was fouled on an attempt by Jaydee Castillo, earning a trip to the line. She sank both shots from the line to push their lead out to, 11-7. Ari Castillo would score the next three points for the Lady Cats to close out the first quarter with Littlefield in front, 14-7.
Baca was fouled on a put-back attempt by Elizondo to open the second frame; she sank both shots at the line to cut the lead to five points, but on the other end, Ari Castillo used a post move to get to the basket for a lay-up, pushing the lead back out to, 16-9, with 6:33 to play in the first half.
Hanlin banked in a runner from the right side, but Espinosa answered with a lay-up for Hale Center, trimming the lead to, 18-11. Hanlin answered with a three from the right wing off of the assist from Cruz and Littlefield took a time out with four minutes to play in the half leading the Lady Owls, 21-11.
Out of the break, Danica knocked down a jumper in the lane, but Hale Center responded, as Layla Juarez knocked down a jumper from the right wing drained a jumper from the right wing to cut the lead to 10 points, 23-13, with just under four minutes to play in the half. Hale Center took a time out with 1:47 remaining, and out of the break, Espinosa was fouled on an attempt by Jouett, earning a trip to the line. She converted both shots at the line to cut the lead to, 23-15.
With under a minute to play in the half, Hanlin drove the left side of the basket for a lay-up off of the assist from Ari Castillo, but on the other end, Jaydee Castillo was fouled on an attempt by Ari Castillo sending her to the line for free throws. She made one-of-two shots at the line, but with time winding down in the half, Marysa Saenz buried a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Cruz to push their lead to, 28-16, going into the locker room at halftime.
Hale Center opened the second half with a lay-up, but on the other end, Ari Castillo was fouled on an attempt by Jazzlynn Guerra; she sank both shots at the line, pushing the lead to, 30-18, with 6:40 to play in the third. Baca dropped in a lay-up for the Lady Owls and Jaydee Castillo followed it up with a lay-up in the lane off of the inbound pass from Baca, cutting the lead to, 3022.
With just over four minutes remaining in the quarter, Espinosa was fouled on an attempt by Cruz, she made both shots to make it a two-possession game, but Ari Castillo answered for Littlefield on the other end, as she dropped in a lay-up on the right side, pushing their lead to, 32-24. Jaydee Castillo was fouled on an attempt by Ari Castillo with 3:31 to play in the quarter; she made one-of-two shots at the line, but Espinosa and Jaydee Castillo followed it up with backto- back buckets in the lane to make it a one-possession game, 32-29.
Hale Center took a time out to talk things over with 2:33 to play in the quarter, and out of the break, Ari Castillo dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Juarez. She converted the free throw to push their lead to, 35-29. With under two minutes remaining in the quarter, Juarez was fouled on the floor by Ari Castillo earning a trip to the line. She converted both shots from the line to make the score, 35-31.
Cruz was fouled on back-to-back possessions for the Lady Cats and went two-for-four from the line to stretch their lead to, 37-31, but on the other end, Espinosa was fouled on the floor by Jazmine Rosalez, earning a trip to the line. She converted both shots, however on the other end, Cruz was fouled in the closing seconds of the quarter and made one-of-two shots from the line, making the score, 38-33, going into the final quarter of play.
Cruz took a charge on Espinosa to open the fourth quarter, giving Espinosa her fourth foul of the game, but on the next play, Guerra was fouled on an attempt by Hanlin. She missed both free throws, but Juarez was there for the offensive rebound and put-back to make it a three-point Littlefield lead, 38-35.
Ari Castillo answered with a layup, but the Lady Owls responded right back, as Espinosa hit Baca for a lay-up on the two-on-one break in transition to keep it a three-point game, 40-37. Ari Castillo dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Guerra, but she missed the free throw, leaving the score, 42-37, with just under five minutes to play in the game.
Espinosa dropped in a floater from the left side, but Cruz answered on the other end with a lay-up to make the score, 44-39. With just over three minutes remaining, Hanlin was fouled on an attempt by Jaydee Castillo, she converted both shots to make it a seven-point Littlefield lead, 46-39. Ari Castillo followed it up with a jumper from the right wing off of a long pass from Cruz, but With just over two minutes left to play, Kara Franklin knocked down a free-throw line jumper to make the score, 48-41.
Hale Center took a time out with 2:02 to play, and out of the break, Cruz was fouled on the floor by Kandace Franklin; she converted both shots to make the score, 50--41. Castillo would sink a pair of free throws after being fouled on the floor by Kandace Franklin and Cruz followed it up with a three, as Littlefield went on to take the contest over Hale Center, 55-41.
Castillo led the team in scoring with a game-high 28 points, while Hanlin and Cruz joined her in double-figures scoring with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Saenz tallied three points and Jouett finished with two points in the contest.
The Lady Cats took on the Levelland Loboettes on Friday. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Tuesday with a road game against Roosevelt.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.