The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team fell short of a comeback in their home game against the Brownfield Cubs on Friday, 49-43.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 13-9 overall, 6-4 in district play.
Pete Marroquin drove the left baseline for a lay-up to open the contest for the Cubs anf he followed it up with a lay-up, off of the assist from Kyle Suarez, making the score, 4-0. Suarez, on the next play, drove to the basket and dumped the ball off to Marroquin for a lay-up, extending their lead to, 6-0, to start the ballgame, as Littlefield called for a 30-second time out with 4:16 remaining in the opening quarter.
Out of the break, Caden Martinez passed the ball into Marroquin for a lay-up and Suarez followed it up with a lay-up off of a steal to push their lead out to, 10-0. With just under three minutes remaining in the first quarter, senior forward, Tyree Jones, dropped in a put-back off of his own miss to end the scoring drought for Littlefield, making the score, 10-2.
With under two minutes to play in the quarter, junior guard, Jordan Trevino, hit senior forward, Chris Brown, for a lay-up off of the inbound play to cut the lead to, 10-4. On the other end, Martinez spun to the basket for a lay-up and Jeremaih Tealer took a charge on the defensive end on senior, Caden Longoria, to give the Cubs an extra possession.
Tealer scored a put-back off of a miss by Nikko Vella, but Brown answered with a jumper from the left elbow, making the score, 14-6, as the first quarter came to a close.
Suarez opened the second quarter with a three for the Cubs, but Trevino responded with a three of his own from the left wing, off of the assist from junior forward, Ryan West, making the score, 17-9. With 6:08 remaining in the half, West took a charge on Suarez, but the Wildcats couldn’t capitalize on the turnover, as Marroquin dropped in a lay-up off of a save by West, drawing an and-one foul on Trevino. He converted the free throw, making the score, 20-9.
With just under five minutes to play in the first half, Jones was fouled on an attempt by JC Carillo. He made one-of-two shots at the line, but Tealer answered with a put-back off of a miss by Marroquin, stretching the Brownfield lead back out to, 22-
Senior guard, Joseph Salinas, knocked down a three from the left elbow off of an assist from Jones, as the Wildcats took a time out with 3:40 left to play in the half, trailing the Cubs, 22-13. With 3:11 remaining in the second quarter, Jones knocked down a jumper from the left wing, off of an assist from Salazar and Salazar followed it up on the defensive end, taking a charge on Vella.
This time, the Wildcats capitalized on the turnover, as Trevino knocked down a jumper from the right elbow, off of an assist from Salinas, making the score, 22-17. With just over two minutes to play in the half, Trevino was fouled on an attempt by Suarez; he split the free throws and Jones followed it up on the next play, going coast-to-coast for a lay-up to make it a one-possession game, 22-20.
Martinez drove the lane and kicked it out to Deion Blackwell for a three from the right wing, but Brown answered with a put-back off of a miss by Trevino, making the score, 25-22, with under one minute to play in the half. Tealer scored a put-back for the Cubs and Blackwell closed out the half with a three from the left wing for Brownfield, making the score, 30-22, going into the locker room at halftime.
Jones opened up the second half with a lay-up, off of an assist from Salazar. He drew an and-one foul on the play on Marroquin and converted the free throw to trim the lead to, 30-25. Suarez was fouled on the other end by Jones and split his free throws, but Jones responded with a jumper in the lane to trim the lead to, 31-27.
With 4:02 remaining in the quarter, West dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Tealer. He missed the free throw leaving the score, 31-29, as Littlefield called for a time out with 3:51 remaining in the quarter. Out of the break, Suarez heaved an outlet pass down court to Marroquin, who dropped in a lay-up in transition, making the score, 33-29, as the third quarter came to a close.
Jones scored a put-back off of his own miss to open the fourth quarter, btu Blackwell answered with a jumper from the left wing, making the score, 35-31. Martinez followed it up with a three from the right wing, off of the assist from Blackwell, pushing their lead back out to, 38-31. Brown scored a put-back off of a miss by Jones, but on the other end, Suarez split a pair of free throws after being fouled on an attempt by West, making the score, 39-33.
The Cubs took a time out with 5:44 remaining, and out of the break, Marroquin dropped in a layup, off of the assist from Suarez, but Littlefield answered with back-to-back lay-ups by Jones and Brown, cutting the lead to, 41-37. Martinez scored a put-back off of a miss by Suarez, but on their next possession, Trevino picked up a steal and took it the other way for a fast-break lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Blackwell. He missed the free throw, but the ball went out of bounds off of Blackwell.
Littlefield took a time out with 3:14 remaining and out of the break, Martinez scored a put-back off of a miss by Blackwell, making the score, 45-39. Trevino hit Jones for a lay-up and Suarez turned the ball over on a fast-break with 2:02 remaining in the contest With 1:27 remaining, Marroquin dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Tealer, making the score, 47-41.
After a Littlefield time out, Jones scored a put-back off of his own miss, but in the closing seconds, Tealer dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Vella, drawing an and-one foul on Brown. He missed the free throw, but Vella ran down the long rebound, as the Cubs ran out the clock to take the contest, 49-43.
Jones led the Wildcats in scoring with 20 points, and he was joined in double-figures scoring by Brown, who finished with 10 points. Trevino tallied eight points, while Salinas netted three points and West finsihed with two points in the contest.
The Wildcats were at Muleshoe on Tuesday. Results were not available at press time. They will host Denver City on Friday for their regular season finale.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.