The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team dropped their home-district opener to the Shallowater Mustangs on Tuesday, 5643, at Wildcat Gym.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 0-1 in district play.
Cooper Martin was fouled on a three-point attempt by Elijah Rodriguez to open the contest. He made one-ofthree shots from the line, and Cruz Dickson followed it up with a put-back to put the Mustangs in front, 3-0. Jose Payan took a charge on Martin and with 3:46 to play in the opening quarter, Payan drained a three from the left wing, off of an assist from Andrew Davis, tying the game, 3-3.
Shallowater took a time out to talk things over with 2:54 to play in the first quarter, and out of the break, Mikah Blackshear dropped in a lay-up, off of the assist from Bryson Clark, putting the Mustangs back in front, 5-3. Sammy Saenz would drive across the lane for a lay-up to tie the game, 5-5, and Blayton Soliz followed it up with a three from the right elbow, off of the assist from AJ Cantu, putting the Wildcats on top, 8-5.
In the closing seconds of the quarter, Lucas White was fouled on an attempt by Saenz and made one-of-two shots from the line to make the score, 8-6, with the Wildcats in front as the first quarter came to a close.
Champ Clanahan dropped in a put-back off of his own miss to open the second frame, but Chase Coronado answered with a put-back on the other end, off of a miss by Cantu, making the score, 10-8. Shallowater got out on a two-on-one break, as Byron Carreon hit Clark for a lay-up on the fastbreak to tie the game, 1010.
With just under five minutes to play in the first half, Jayden Barrio knocked down a jumper from the right elbow, but on the other end, Logan Winn was fouled on an attempt by Rodriguez, his second of the game. Winn made one- of- two shots at the line, making the score, 12-11. With 3:22 to play in the half, Blackshear was fouled on an attempt by Payan, his second of the game. He converted both shots at the line to put Shallowater back in front, 13-12.
Barrio hit Cantu for a layup, but Martin answered with a jumper in the lane to keep the lead in favor of the Mustangs, 15-14. Littlefield took a time out to prevent a turnover with 2:26 to play, and out of the break, Dickson was fouled on the floor by Saenz, his second of the game. He converted both attempts at the line, and Winn followed it up with a steal, dishing the ball ahead to Blackshear for a fastbreak lay-up to make the score, 19-14, with 1:43 remaining in the half.
Barrio knocked down a jumper for the Wildcats, but on the other end, Martin dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Zack Trevino. He converted the free throw, making the score, 22-16. Barrio would knock down a turnaround jumper in the lane, but in the closing seconds of the half, Winn dropped in a lay-up to give Shallowater a, 24-18, lead going into the locker room at halftime.
Dickson opened the second half with a lay-up for Shallowater, but Saenz answered with a three from the right elbow, and Payan took a charge on Blackshear, giving him his second foul of the game with 7:03 left to play in the third quarter. Rodriguez dropped in a put-back for the Wildcats, but on the other end, Winn went up and under for a lay-up, extending their lead to, 28-23, with 6:13 to play in the quarter.
Blackshear scored a layup in transition for Shallowater, but Saenz answered with a jumper from the left wing to make it a five-point game, 30-25. The Mustangs wasted no time responding, as Winn went coast-to-coast for a lay-up, but Saenz would fire right back, dropping in a lay-up of his own to make the score, 32-27, with 4:05 left to play in the quarter.
Cantu knocked down a jumper from the right wing for Littlefield, but on the other end, Blackshear was fouled on an attempt by Trevino, his second foul of the game. Blackshear converted both shots at the line, as Shallowater took a time out, leading 34-29, with three minutes to go in the third quarter. Out of the break, Shallowater would close out the third quarter on an, 8-0, scoring run to take a, 42-29 lead into the final quarter of play.
Saenz opened the final frame with a three from the left elbow, off of an assist from Barrio, but on their next possession, Clark would take a charge on Saenz, giving him his fourth foul of the game with 6:19 left to play. Davis dropped in a lay-up for Littlefield and Saenz followed it up with a floater to cut the lead to, 4236, but Clanahan dropped in a lay-up to push their lead back out to, 44-36, with 4:47 to play in the game.
Dickson dropped in a layup in transition for Shallowater, as Littlefield took a time out with 4:23 to play. Out of the break, Saenz buried a three from the top of the key, off of an assist from Coronado, but Winn answered with a layup to make the score, 4839, with just under four minutes to play.
Blackshear was fouled on the floor by Saenz, as Saenz fouled out of the contest with 3:20 to play. Coronado would knock down a jumper from the left elbow off of the assist from Barrio, and after a Shallowater time out, Dickson dropped in a layup to make it a nine-point game, 50- 41. Barrio dropped in a floater from the left side, but on the other end, Winn was fouled on the floor by Davis, who picked up his fourth foul of the game. He converted both shots at the line, stretching the lead to, 52-43.
Shallowater would score back-to-back buckets to close out the game, as Littlefield fell at home to the Mustangs, 56-43.
The Wildcats were led in scoring by Saenz, who netted 17 points. Barrio tallied eight points, while Cantu and Coronao each chipped in four points, and Payan and Soliz each contributed three points. Davis and Rodriguez each finished with two points in the contest.
The Wildcats were in action at Farwell this weekend. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Tuesday with a home nondistrict contest against Floydada.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.