The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team fell to the Farwell Steers at the Farwell Invitational Saturday night, 55-46.
With the loss, the Wildcats finished the weekend, 3-1 in tournament play.
Hudson Agee was fouled on an attempt by Andrew Davis to open the contest. He converted both free throws and Ruben Molina followed it up with a three from the right elbow to give the Steers a, 5-0, with seven minutes remaining in the opening quarter. Sammy Saenz answered with a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Elijah Rodriguez and Saenz followed it up with a fast-break lay-up to tie the game, 5-5.
Agee picked up a steal from Davis and took it the other way for a fast-break lay-up and on their next possession, Chris Reyes was fouled on an attempt by Davis, his second foul of the game. Reyes converted both attempts at the line, pushing Farwell’s lead back out to, 9-5. Braddock Foster picked up as teal and was fouled on the fastbreak by Saenz, earning a trip to the line. He also converted both free throws, stretching their lead to, 115, with 2:33 left to play in the first quarter.
Saenz dished an outlet pass down court to Jayden Barrio, who dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Foster. He missed the free throw leaving the score, 11- 7. Foster answered with a lay-up for Farwell and with 1:18 to play in the quarter, Saenz was called for a charge, giving him his second foul of the game.
Reyes split a pair of free throws after being fouled on an attempt by Zack Trevino and Farwell followed it up with a three to stretch their lead to double-digits, 17-7. Littlefield took a time out with 31.79 seconds to play in the first quarter, but the score would stand, 17-7, as the first quarter came to a close.
Rodriguez dropped in a baby-hook shot to open the second frame, but Agee answered with a lay-up to make the score, 19- 9. Rodriguez would drop in a lay-up off of an assist from Barrio, but on the other end Molina was fouled on an attempt by Blayton Soliz. He split the attempts at the line, making the score, 2011, with 5:47 to play in the first half.
Barrio nailed a three from the right elbow, off of an assist from Saenz, and Barrio followed it up with a three from the top of the key to slice the lead to, 20-17, with just under five minutes to play in the half. Farwell dropped in a lay-up, but Saenz would hit Trevino on a back-door cut on the other end for a lay-up, making the score, 22-19.
Agee was called for a charge with 4:10 to play in the half, but the Steers would regain possession, as Reyes dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Coy Miller, pushing their lead back out to, 24-19. Foster dropped in a lay-up in transition, but on the other end, Rodriguez was fouled on a put-back attempt by Daniel Silva. He converted one-oftwo shots at the line and Saenz followed it up with a jumper from the left wing, off of an assist from Barrio, cutting the lead to, 2622, with 1:42 to play in the half.
Silva took a charge on Saenz, his third foul of the game, and on the other end, Miller drove the lane, kicking the ball across to Reyes for a lay-up, making the score, 28-22. With time winding down in the half, Rodriguez spun to the basket for a floater in the lane to close out the first half with Farwell in front, 28-24.
Farwell opened the second half on a, 6-0, scoring run, before Barrio was fouled on an attempt, earning a trip to the line. He split the free throws, making the score, 34-25, with 3:49 to play in the third quarter. Reyes dropped in a lay-up off of an inbound pass under the basket, sparking a, 9-0, scoring run for the Steers, pushing their lead to, 43-25.
With 2:04 to play in the quarter, Barrio was fouled on an attempt by Molina, his third foul of the game. Barrio, sank both shots at the line, but Agee answered with a three from the right wing to make the score, 4627. Barrio would knock down a three from the left elbow, off of an assist from Jose Payan and with time winding down in the quarter, Ben Castillo picked up a steal and Trevino dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Castillo at the buzzer, trimming the lead to, 46-32, as the third quarter came to a close.
Barrio pulled up for a jumper in the lane, off of an assist from Saenz to open the fourth quarter, but Miller answered with a floater in the lane for Farwell, making the score, 48-34. Barrio knocked down a jumper from the right wing, off of an assist from Payan and on their next possession, Castillo was fouled on a put-back attempt by Agee, his third foul of the game. Castillo sank both shots at the line, cutting the lead to 10 points, 48-38.
Saenz grabbed a defensive rebound and delivered a long pass through traffic to Barrio for a lay-up in transition, as Farwell took a time out with 5:35, leading the Wildcats, 48-40. Out of the break, Saenz grabbed a bad pass from Miller, tak- ing it the other way for a fast-break lay-up, and he followed it up with a jumper from the left elbow, slicing the lead to, 48-44, with 4:37 to play in the game.
Foster was fouled on an attempt by Payan, his second of the game. Foster sank both shots at the line to push the lead back to, 5044. Saenz was called for a charge, fouling out of the contest with 3:40 to play in the game.
Farwell would take a time out with 1:26 left to play and out of the break the Steers would close out the game on a, 5-2, scoring run, as Littlefield fell, 55-46.
The Wildcats were led in scoring by Barrio, who netted 20 points, to go along with five steals, three assists, two rebounds and one block. He was joined in double-figures scoring by Saenz, who finished with 11 points, six assists, six rebounds and three steals.
Rodriguez tallied seven points, eight rebounds, one assist and one steal, while Ben Castillo chipped in four points, six steals and five rebounds, and Trevino contributed four points and three rebounds. Soliz added three rebounds and one assist, while Payan contributed two assists, one steal and one rebound and Davis added one rebound.