The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team got back in the win column on Tuesday, as they took down the Friona Squaws, 67-41, in their first meeting of the season.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve 16-8 overall, 4-1 in district play.
Reyna Arias dropped in a short put-back for Friona to open the contest, but Littlefield answered on the other end, as Arianna Cruz knocked down a jumper from the left elbow, off of the outlet pass from Emily Champion to knot things up, 2-2. Ashtyn Parker followed it up on their next possession with a pass into the paint to Brookelyn Gau, who finished the play with a lay-up to give the Lady Cats their first lead of the game, 4- 2.
Huey drove to the basket for a lay-up on the right side, but Friona answered with a bucket on the other end to make it a onepossession game, 6-4, with 3:58 left to play in the opening quarter.
Gau knocked dropped in a bucket for the Lady Cat, but Laura Perez answered with a three from the right elbow to make it a onepoint game, 8-7. The teams exchanged buckets again and Perez followed it up with a runner on the right side, drawing an andone foul on Champion. She converted the free throw to put Friona back on top, 12-10.
Gau, though, would back down her defender for a lay-up to tie the game, 12-12, as the first quarter came to a close.
Ivory Shelby was fouled on an attempt by Kennadi Hanlin to open the second frame; she split the free-throw attempts and the Squaws followed it up with a steal that led to a jumper from the top of the key by Shelby, stretching their lead to, 15-12. Gau dropped in a lay-up, and Leilani Solis followed it up with a three from the left wing off of the assist from Hanlin to regain the lead, 17-15, with six minutes remaining in the first half.
Littlefield picked up a steal and Solis sent the outlet pass ahead to Champion for a lay-up in transition to stretch their lead to, 19- 15. Friona took a time out, and out of the break, Gau dropped in a layup and Hanlin followed it up with a put-back off of a miss by Solis to extend their lead to, 23-15, with 4:40 remaining in the half.
Mahalia Huey was fouled on an attempt by Anahi Gonzalez; she split the free throws and two plays later, she was fouled again on a put-back attempt by Shelby. She again split the free throws, making the score, 25-15, with 3:15 remaining in the second quarter.
With 1:46 left to play in the half, Shelby was fouled on an attempt by Parker and converted both free throws to make the score, 25-17. Lizbeth Toledo took a charge on Parker and on the other end, Arias was fouled on a put-back attempt by Cruz. She knocked down both free throws to cut the lead to, 25- 19.
Littlefield though, would go on a, 6-2, scoring run during the final minutes of the first half to take a, 33-24, lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Lady Cats opened the second half with a lay-up and after the teams exchanged buckets, Champion was fouled on an attempt by Arias, who picked up her fourth foul of the game. Champion converted both free throws, but Audrianna Trevino answered with a jumper from the left wing to trim the lead to, 37-26. Littlefield would answer with a three and Parker followed it up with a lay-up off of the assist from Cruz to stretch their lead to, 42-26, with 5:30 left to play in the third.
Cruz dropped in a lay-up off of a steal and Littlefield took a time out with 4:10 left to play in the quarter. Out of the break, Gonzalez drove to the basket for a lay-up, but Huey responded on the other end with a lay-up on the right side to keep the score, 46-28. Friona again dropped in a lay-up, but the Lady Cats had the answer, as Amiah Elizondo dropped in a putback off of the miss by Champion, making the score, 48-30, heading into the final quarter of play.
Gonzalez knocked down a pair of free throws to open the final quarter, but Champion scored on a cut to the basket for a lay-up and then she was fouled on the following offensive possession by Trevino. She made one-of-two shots at the line to extend their lead to, 51-32. Kitzy Welch dropped in a lay-up for Friona, but Gau answered on the other end, with a turnaround jumper in the lane, and Champion followed it up with a three from the right elbow, off of the assist from Parker, pushing their lead out to, 56-34.
Friona took a time out with 5:29 remaining, and out of the break, Cruz knocked down a jumper from the right wing off of the assist from Parker. The Squaws answered with a three from the right elbow, but on the other end, Hanlin was fouled on an attempt by Angelica Reyes. She split the attempts at the line and Gau followed it up with a lay-up, off of the assist from Cruz, pushing their lead to, 61-37.
With 2:28 remaining, Solis picked up a steal and went coast-to-coast for a lay-up, making the score, 63-37. After a Friona time out, Welch was fouled on the floor by Elizondo; she sank both free throws, but Cruz dropped in a layup off of an assist from Jasmine Barrios and she followed it up with another lay-up to extend their lead to, 67-39. Shelby would drop in a lay-up for Friona, but the Lady Cats cruised to victory over the Squaws, 67-41.
Gau led the team in scoring with 18 points, to go along with nine rebounds, three steals and one assist. She was joined in doublefigures scoring by Cruz, who netted 16 points and had one rebound, one assist and one steal, and Champion who tallied 10 points, three rebounds and one steal.
Huey netted six points, to go along with four rebounds, one assist and one steal, while Hanlin contributed six points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal and Solis chipped in five points, one rebound and one assist. Parker contributed four points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Elizondo tallied two points, Bri Valdez added one rebound and Barios finished with two assists and one rebound.
The Lady Cats hosted Lamesa on Friday. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Tuesday when they go on the road to take on Muleshoe.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.