The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team began play at the 32nd annual Wildcat Classic in Littlefield on Wednesday evening, as they cruised past the Sudan Hornets, 69-29, to advance to the winners bracket.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 1-0 in tournament play, while the Hornets fall to 0-1.
Omar Martinez dropped in a layup off of the inbound pass from Ryan Williams under their own basket to begin the contest and Ryan Williams followed it up with a deep three from the top of the key off of the assist from Jeremiah Trevino, pushing their lead to, 50. Jaibryn Ornelas was fouled on an attempt by MJ Randle with 5:35 to play in the opening quarter; he split the free-throw attempts to get the Hornets on the board, making the score, 5-1.
The Wildcats wasted no time responding, as Trevino hit Martinez with an outlet pass for a lay-up in transition, and Martinez followed it up with a drive and dump to Trevino for a lay-up, pushing their lead to 9-1, with 3:43 remaining in the first quarter. Ja’Den Williams dropped in a layup in transition off of the assist from Ryan Williams, forcing Sudan to take a time out to try and slow down the Wildcats’ momentum.
Out of the break, Ryan Williams dropped ina lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Ryan Huddleston. He missed the free throw, leaving the score, 13-1, with 2:22 left to play in the quarter. Jayden Barrio dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Sir Pratt, but Trent Wilson answered with a short turnaround jumper from the left side, trimming the lead to, 15-3.
With under a minute to go in the first quarter, Ja’Den Williams dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Kam McCarty and McCarty followed it up with a three from the top of the key, pushing their lead to, 20-3, as the first quarter came to a close.
Sal Juarez drove to the basket for a lay-up to open the second frame, but on the next play, Martinez picked up a steal from Wilson and took it to the hoop for an easy lay-up, stretching the lead to, 22-5, with 6:36 to play in the first half. Chip Green hit Martinez with an outlet pass for a lay-up, but Sudan answered, as Ornelas dropped in a put-back to trim the lead to, 24-7.
Trevino drained a three from the left wing off of the assist from Ja’Den Williams and Green picked up a steal dishing it to Ja’Den Williams for the lay-up, extending their lead to, 29-7, with 3:58 remaining in the half. Ornelas again dropped in a lay-up for the Hornets, but Green came right back with a lay-up of his own for the Wildcats, making the score, 31-9.
Tony Vargas knocked down a three from the left wing for Sudan, but Barrio answerd with a drive to the basket for a lay- up and McCarty followed it up with a block on the defensive end, and finished on the offensive end with a fast-break lay-up to stretch their lead to, 35-12, with just over two minutes to play in the first half.
McCarty kept the run going for Littlefield, as he buried a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Pratt, but Ornelas spun into the lane for a lay- up and Huddleston followed it up with a lay- up off of the assist from Ornelas to close out the half with the Wildcats in front, 38-16.
Green knocked down a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Randle to open the third quarter and Martinez followed it up with back-to-back lay-ups to push their lead to, 45-16, as Sudan called for a time out to talk things over with 4:35 remaining in the third quarter. Out of the break, Wilson took the ball to the hoop for a lay-up, but Ryan Williams answered with a jumper from the left elbow, making the score, 4718.
Pratt dropped in a put-back off of a miss from Green and with 1:38 to play in the quarter, Ja’Den Williams dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Pratt and drew an and-one foul on Aspen Reyher. He missed the free throw, leaving the score, 51-18. With time winding down in the third, Green drained a three from the left elbow off of the assist from McCarty, making the score, 54-18, going into the final quarter of play.
Wilson was fouled on an attempt by Barrio to open the fourth quarter. He made one-of-two shots from the line to trim the lead to, 5419. On their next possession, Wislon dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Marcello King, drawing an and-one foul on Barrio. He missed the free throw, leaving the score, 54-21, with 5:40 remaining in the contest.
McCarty answered with a drive to the basket for alay-up and he followed it up with a steal on defense, getting the ball ahead to Ryan Williams for a lay-up in transition, pushing their lead to, 5821. McCarty delivered a block against Ornelas on defense and Martinez took the outlet pass, finishing with a lay-up on the break to making the score, 60-21, with 4:05 to play in the game.
Ornelas drove in for a lay-up, but Randle answered with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Ryan Williams, making the score, 63-23, with 3:19 to play. Ornelas dropped in a floater from the right side, but on the next play, Ja’Den Williams picked up a steal and got it ahead to Trevino in transition for a lay-up, making the score, 65-25. Juarez answered with a lay-up for the Hornets, but Ryan Williams came right back on the other end with a drive to the basket for a lay-up, making the score, 67-27.
With 1:34 to play, King dropped in a floater for Sudan, but Pratt answered with a put-back off of his own miss to stretch the lead to, 69-29, as the Wildcats took down Sudan in the first round of the Wildcat Classic.
The Wildcats were led by Martinez, who netted 14 points. He was joined in double-figures scoring by Ryan Williams, who tallied 11 points and McCarty, who finished with 10 points. Ja’Den Williams and Green each chipped in eight points, while Trevino contributed seven points and Barrio and Pratt each added four points. Randle finished with three points in the contest.
Sudan was led by Ornelas, who tallied 11 points and Wilson, who finished with seven points. Vargas chipped in five points, while Juarez added four points and Huddleston finished with two points in the contest.
The Wildcats played the Andrews Mustangs on Thursday at 2 p.m., while the Hornets played Sundown at 9:30 a.m. Results were not available at press time.