The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team fell short on the road in their comeback efforts at Shallowater on Friday, falling to the Mustangs, 51-46.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 16-8 overall, 5-4 in district play.
Kam McCarty got the Wildcats going in the opening quarter with a put-back off of a miss by Nate Castaneda, but Logan Winn answered with a three from the left elbow to put the Mustangs in front, 3-2. With 5:35 remaining in the first quarter, Cooper Martin was fouled on an attempt by Castaneda and split the attempts at the line to push their lead to, 4-2. A block by Jayden Barrio was picked up by Chip Green, who dished the outlet pass down court to McCarty for the fast-break layup to tie the game, 4- 4. Shallowater would respond, as Gavin Coleman dropped in a floater on the right baseline and Brody Rowin followed it up with a lay-up off of the assist from Martin, stretching their lead to, 8-4.
Littlefield took a time out with 3:57 left to play in the quarter, and out of the break, Castaneda passed the ball to Green, who gave it right back to Castaneda on the give-and-go on the left side, as he finished with a lay-up, drawing an and- one foul on Rowin. He missed the free throw leaving the score, 8-6. Martin buried a three from the left elbow, as the Mustangs closed out the first quarter on a, 7-0, scoring run, taking a, 15-6, lead into quarter number two.
Green opened the second frame with a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Barrio and on the next play, Barrio lobbed a pass over the defense to Eizeah Coleman, who was fouled on a shot attempt by Champ Clanahan. He split the attempts at the line to trim the lead to, 15-10, with just over five minutes to play in the half.
Cooper Manning and McCarty exchanged lay-ups and Winn dropped in a floater on the left wing, extending the Mustang lead to, 19-12. With 2:37 to play in the half, Ryan Williams drove the right side for a lay-up, drawing an andone foul on Rowin. He converted the free throw to make it a fourpoint game, 19-15. However, Gavin Coleman would drive the left side for a Mustang lay-up and with under a minute to play, Alex Rodriguez dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and- one foul on Castaneda. He missed the free throw, making the score, 23-15, going into the locker room at halftime.
Shallowater opened the second half with a bucket, but Williams responded, as he drove the lane, kicking the ball out to Green on the right wing, who buried the three-ball to cut the lead to, 25-18. Manning dropped in a quick layup off of the assist from Winn, but McCarty again answered with a three from the right elbow, slicing the lead to, 27-21, with just over six minutes to play in the third quarter.
Green hit Barrio in transition for a lay-up and Williams followed it up with a put-back off of his own miss to make it a one-possession game, 27-25. With 2:43 remaining in the third quarter, Rodriguez dropped in a lay-up and on their next possession, Gavin Coleman was fouled on an attempt by Castaneda; he made one-of-two shots from the line to make it a five-point game, 30-25.
Williams tossed an outlet pass down court to Coleman, who was fouled on an attempt by Gavin Coleman, earning a trip to the line. He converted both free throws to trim the lead to, 30-27, and on the next play, McCarty picked up a steal and dropped in the fast-break lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Martin. He converted the free throw to tie the game, 30-30, with 1:20 to play in the quarter.
Green would drop in a transition lay-up to close out the third quarter, as Littlefield took a twopoint lead, 32-30, into the final quarter of play.
Green opened the fourth quarter with a defensive rebound, passing the ball to Williams on the break, who dished it across the lane to McCarty on the two-onone break for a lay-up, stretching their lead to, 34-30. Shallowater took a time out with 7:14 to play in the game, and out of the break, Gavin Coleman was fouled on an attempt by Williams. He converted both shots at the line to cut the Littlefield lead to, 34-32.
Coleman dropped in a babyhook in the lane off of the assist from Barrio and Shallowater took a time out to prevent a turnover with 5:56 left to play. Out of the break, Manning dropped in a layup off of the inbound pass under the basket, but Williams answered with a three off of the assist from McCarty to push their lead to, 3934.
Gavin Coleman dropped in a layup for Shallowater and Winn followed it up with a fast-break layup off of a turnover by McCarty, as the Mustangs took a time out with 4:33 to play in the contest. Out of the break, Gavin Coleman dropped in back-to-back lay-ups to regain the lead for Shallowater, 42-39, as Littlefield took a time out with 2:30 remaining in the game.
Out of the break, Winn dropped in a lay-up for the Mustangs and Gavin Coleman hit a cutting Rodriguez on the next play to push their lead to, 46-39, with 1:51 remaining in the game. On the other end, McCarty was fouled on an attempt by Rodriguez. He made one-of-two shots from the line, as the Wildcats took a time out, trailing, 46-40.
Out of the break, Gavin Coleman dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Mikah Blackshear and with under a minute to play, Martin was fouled on the floor by Barrio, earning a trip to the line. He missed both free throws, as Littlefield grabbed the rebound and raced down the floor. McCarty hit a step-back three from the left elbow to make it a five-point game, 48-43, as they took a time out to preserve the clock with 28.8 seconds to play.
Winn split apair of free throws after being fouled on the floor by McCarty, but McCarty answered on the other end with a three from the top of the key, as Littlefield took another time out with 16 seconds left, trailing, 49-46. The Wildcats would foul Win to save the clock, but he sank both free throws to ice the game, 51-46.
McCarty led the Wildcats in scoring with a game-high 18 points, to go along with six rebounds, three steals and two assists. Williams tallied eight points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal, while Green contributed eight points, seven rebounds and two steals, and Barrio added five points, two steals, one rebound and one assist.
Coleman tallied five points, two steals, one rebound and one assist, while Castaneda finished with two points, four rebounds and one steal.
The Wildcats were at Roosevelt on Friday for their second meeting with the Eagles. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Tuesday with a home game against Dimmitt.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.