The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team pulled away late from the Portales Lady Rams on Tuesday, 56-50, to advance to the Wildcat Classic Championship game.
With the win, the Lady Cats improved to 2-0 in tournament play on the week.
Amoni Jefferson grabbed an offensive rebound and dropped in a lay-up off of a miss by Zalise Davis and Cobi Saldana followed it up with a steal, taking the ball to the hoop for a fast-break lay-up, pushing their lead to, 4-0. With 5:20 to play in the opening quarter, Jefferson knocked down a step-back jumper from the right elbow, but Portales would respond, as Lissette Gomez knocked down a jumper in the lane, and Zoey Urban scored on a fast-break lay-up, drawing an and- one foul on Jefferson. She missed the free throw leaving the score, 6-4.
Addyson Mayberry grabbed a steal, taking it the other way for a fast-break lay-up to tie the game, but Madison Williams answered with a three to regain the lead for Littlefield, 9-8. With just over 2:07 to play in the first quarter, Molly Ainsworth dropped in a putback for the Lady Rams, but Williams fired right back with another three from the left elbow off of an assist from Jefferson, pushing their lead to, 12-10.
Portales took a time out with 1:03 to play in the quarter, and out of the break, Amaya Lujan knocked down a jumper from the right wing, tying the game, 12-12, as the first quarter came to a close.
Davis opened the second frame with a three from the left elbow, off of an assist from Aubree Richardson, but on the other end, Ainsworth was fouled on an attempt by Richardson. She made one- of- two shots from the line to trim the lead to, 15-13. With 6:37 remaining in the half, Davis dished the outlet pass ahead to Jefferson, who finished the break with a lay-up, making the score, 17-13.
Urban split a pair of free throws after being fouled by Nia Cleveland, but Littlefield responded, as Jefferson hit Davis for a lay-up off of a Portales turnover, making the score, 19-14.
Portales took a time out with 5:56 to play in the half, and out of the break, Urban was fouled on an attempt by Williams. She made one-oftwo shots at the line and a few plays later, the Lady Rams dropped in a bucket to make it a one-possession Lady Cat lead, 19-17. With 2:45 left to play in the half, Jefferson took a charge on Maria Lujan, but Portales would regain possession, as Gomez dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Amaya Lujan, tying the game, 1919.
Saldana was fouled on an attempt by Amaya Lujan and made one-of-two shots from the line, making the score, 20-19. With 3:05 remaining in the half, Williams picked up a steal and was fouled on a fast-break attempt by Maria Lujan. She made one-of-two shots at the line, stretching the lead to, 21-19. Williams would convert a pair of free throws after drawing a foul on Amaya Lujan and on the next play, Cleveland was fouled on an attempt by Urban, earning a trip to the line. She made one-of-two shots at the line, making the score, 24-19.
Jefferson would sink a pair from the line and Saldana closed out the first half with a steal for a fastbreak lay-up, pushing their lead to, 28-19, going into the locker room at halftime.
Saldana drove the middle for a lay-up to open the second half, but Portales answered, as Maria Lujan drained a three from the right elbow, before drawing a foul on Williams on the next play. She split the attempts at the line, trimming the lead to, 30-23, with 6:26 to play in the third quarter.
Jefferson buried a three from the top of the key and on the next play, Williams hit Davis with the outlet pass for a lay-up, as she drew an and-one foul on Urban. She converted the free throw to push their lead to, 36-23, with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter. Ainsworth and Gomez scored back-to-back buckets for the Lady Rams, but Davis responded with a three from the top of the key, making the score, 39-27.
With 2: 40 remaining, Jefferson hit Saldana in transition for a lay- up, but Ainsworth answered with a lay-up on the other end to make the score, 41- 29. Davis drove the right side for a lay-up, as Littlefield took a time out with 2:13 to play in the quarter. Out of the break, Jefferson sank a three from the top of the key, pushing their lead to, 46-29.
Portales, though, would go on a, 9-0, scoring run to close out the third quarter with Littlefield in front, 4638.
April Macho-Benavides opened the fourth quarter with a lay-up off of the assist from Ainsworth, but Davis drove the middle for a lay-up to make it an eightpoint game, 48-40, with 5:34 to play. Gomez dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Mayberry, but Cleveland answered with a lay-up on the other end and Davis followed it up with a steal on defense that led to a lay-up by Saldana, pushing the lead back out to, 52-42.
Amaya Lujan and Maria Lujan would drop in backto- back lay-ups for Portales and Mayberry followed it up with a lay-up in transition, slicing the lead to, 54-46, with 1:51 to play in the game. Ainsworth knocked down a jumper from the elbow, but with 36.2 seconds remaining, Saldana would split a pair of free throws after being fouled by Gomez.
Maria Lujan was fouled on the floor by Saldana, her fourth. She converted both shots at the line, as Portales took a time out with 4.1 seconds to play. Out of the break, Davis split a pair of free throws, as Littlefield held on to take the contest, 56-50.
The Lady Cats were led in scoring by Davis, who netted 16 points. She was joined in double figures scoring by Jefferson, who tallied 14 points and Saldana, who chipped in 12 points. Williams contributed nine points and Cleveland added three points in the contest.