The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team opened district play last Tuesday, dropping a heart-breaker on the road to the Brownfield Cubs, 58-52.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 12-3 overall, 0-1 in district play.
Kaden McPherson dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Q Busby to open the contest for Brownfield, but MJ Randle hit Jeremiah Trevino for a lay-up in transition to tie the game, 2-2, with 5:14 remaining in the opening quarter. Randle tipped an offensive rebound to Ryan Williams, who dropped in a floater in the lane on the second chance opportunity to put the Wildcats in front, 4-2.
Jeron Lawrence used a pump fake on Omar Martinez before dropping in a lay-up to tie the game, but it was short-lived, as Ryan knocked down a quick bucket to put Littlefield back in front, 6-4, with 3:48 to play in the first quarter. With just over three minutes to play in the first, Trevino was fouled on an attempt by Busby. He convert both shots at the line, but Lawrence answered with a three to cut the Littlefield lead to, 8-7.
Ryan Williams answered with a deep three and followed it up with a lay-up in transition, drawing an and-one foul on Tom Triebeneck. He converted the free throw to make the score, 14-7. However, Triebeneck dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Trae Timmins to close out the quarter with the Wildcats in front, 14-9.
Ja’Den Williams opened the second frame with a steal for a fastbreak lay-up and followed it up with a put-back off of his own miss, pushing their lead to, 18-9. The Cubs took a time out with 7:19 to play in the first half. Lawrence knocked down a three from the right wing and with just under six minutes to play in the half, Lawrence drained another three from the right wing off of the screen by Triebeneck, cutting the lead to, 18-15.
Ja’Den Williams responded with a three from the right elbow off of a Cubs turnover, but Triebeneck fired right back with a lay-up, making the score, 21-17. Trevino was fouled on a shot attempt by Timmins, earning a trip to the line. He sank both free throws to extend their lead back out to, 23-17.
Ja’Den Williams tipped a pass across the lane to Chip Green for a lay- up, but on the other end, Lawrence was fouled on an attempt by Ja’Den Williams; he made one-of-two shots from the line, making the score, 25-18, with 3:18 remaining in the half. With time winding down in the half, Martinez picked up a steal in their own end and dropped it in for a lay-up to make the score, 27-18, going into the locker room at halftime.
Kam McCarty dropped ina floater in the lane off of a turnover by Busby, but on the other end, Jojo Carillo was fouled on an attempt by Randle. He converted both shots from the line to trim the lead to, 29-20. With 5:51 to play in the third quarter, Jayden Barrio was fouled on an attempt by KJ Carroll. He converted both shots from the line, stretching the lead to, 31-20.
Littlefield took a ful time out with 5:51 to play in the third and after play resumed, the Cubs took a 30-second time out with 5:01 to play in the quarter. Lawrence drove the middle for a lay-up and Carillo pulled up for a jumper in the lane to trim the lead to, 31-24. Martinez answered with a floater in the lane for the Wildcats, off of the assist from Trevino, making the score, 33-24.
Carrillo drove to the basket for a lay-up and Lawrence followed it up with a put-back off of his own miss to make the score, 33-28. Busby kept the run going with a lay-up off of the assist from Carroll, as Littlefield called for a full time out with 2:48 remaining in the quarter and their lead cut to three points, 33-30.
Out of the break, Lawrence dropped in a lay-up off of a turnover by Barrio and Busby picked up a steal on the next play, getting ait ahead to Carrillo, who hit Lawrence on the break to put the Cubs in front, 34-33. With 1:26 to play in the third, Trevino was fouled on an attempt by George Rivera; he made one-of-two shots from the line to tie the game, 3434.
On the other end, Carrillo was fouled on the floor by Barrio. He made both shots from the line, but Ryan Williams answered with a floater in the lane to tie the game, 36-36, going into the final quarter of play.
Timmins was fouled on an attempt by Trevino, who picked up his third foul of the game; he converted both shots from the line to put Brownfield back in front, 3836. On the other end, Trevino was fouled on an attempt by Tribeneck. He converted both shots from the line to keep the game tied, 38-38. With just over seven minutes to play in the game, Lawrence lobbed the ball up to Busby for a lay-up, but on the other end, Green was fouled on a put-back attempt by Timmins, earning a trip to the line. He converted both shots at the line to tie the game, 40-40.
Lawrence dropped in a put-back off of his own miss and with 4:54 to play in the game, Randle was called for a blcoking foul, fouling out of the contest, as the Cubs took a time out to talk things over. Out of the break, Lawrence dropped in a floater in the lane over Martinez to put the Cubs in front, 44-40. With 3:01 to play, Busby dropped in a reverse lay-up, as Littlefield called a time out with three minutes to play in the game, trailing, 46-40.
Out of the break, Busby passed to Carrillo, who hit McPherson for a lay- up in transition and Lawrence followed it up with a layup in transition to push the Cubs’ lead to double-digits, 50-40. With 2: 12 remaining in the game, McCarty was fouled on the floor by McPherson. He made one-oftwo shots from the line to cut the lead to, 50-41. Lawrence was called for a backcourt call with 1:40 to play, as Littlefield took a 30-second time out to set up a play. Out of the break, Green drained a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Ryan Williams, slicing the lead to, 50-44.
Martinez picked up a steal and was fouled on the shot attempt by Carrillo; he converted both shots from the line to make it a two-possession game, 50-46, but Lawrence responded with a lay-up to make the score, 52-46. Martinez picked up a steal and was fouled on the attempt by Carrillo, who picked up his third foul of the game. Martinez split the attempts at the line to make the score, 52-47.
With 37 seconds to play, McCarty turned the ball over as Lawrence found Busby for a layup to push the lead to, 54-47. With 16.5 seconds to play, Busby was fouled on the floor by Green, as the Cubs took a time out to talk things over. He sank both shots at the line to make the score 5647.
With under 10 seconds to play, Green was fouled on a three-point attempt by Carroll. He made all three attempts from the line to cut the lead to, 56-50. Lawrence was quickly fouled on the floor by Martinez, but he converted both free throws to push the Cubs’ lead to eight points with 5.1 seconds remaining. Ryan Williams dropped in a put-back off of a miss by McCarty, as the Wildcats dropepd their district-opener to the Cubs, 58-50.
Ryan Williams led the team in scoring with 14 points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal, while Green tallied 10 points and three rebounds. Trevino chipped in nine points, four rebounds and two steals, while Martinez contributed seven points, seven rebounds and three steals.
Ja’Den Williams tallied seven points, three rebounds, two steals and one assist, while Barrio added two points, three rebounds and one block. Randle tallied three rebounds, two assists and one steal, while Pratt finished with one rebound.
The Wildcats will host the Wildcat Classic Wednsday through Friday. They open tournament play Wednesday night against Sudan at 8 p.m.