The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team held off of a late surge from the Denver City Mustangs on Thursday, 50-47, at Wildcat Gymnasium.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 15-11 overall, 7-1 in district play.
Erik Escobar knocked down a jumper to open the scoring in the first quarter, but Zeke Saenz answered with a jumper in the lane for Littlefield to tie the game, 2-2. Elijah Salazar drained a three from the left wing off of an assist from Chip Green and Ryan Williams kissed in a floater off of the glass to extend their lead to, 7-2, as Denver City took a time out with 4:07 to play in the contest.
Out of the break, Saenz dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Ryan Williams and on their next possession, Ja’Den Williams was fouled on an attempt by Daniel Ceniceros. He converted both shots at the line to extend their lead to, 11-2. With 1:26 to play in the opening quarter, Saenz set a screen for Ja’Den Williams before rolling to the basket, as Ja’Den Williams hit him with a pass for a lay-up to push their lead to, 13-2.
Omar Martinez dropped in a layup off of a Denver City turnover, but Ceniceros answered with a jumper from the free-throw line to close out the quarter with the Wildcats in front, 15-4.
Nick Yanez drained a three from the left elbow to open the second frame for the Mustangs, but Jeremiah Trevino answered with a spin to the basket for a lay-up off of an assist from Green, pushing their lead back out to, 17-7. Q Busby dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Gunner Galvan, but he missed the free leaving the score, 19-7, with just over six minutes to play in the half.
Salazar hit Green with an outlet pass for a fast-break lay-up, but Yanez answered with a deep two from the right wing to trim the lead to, 21-9, with under five minutes to play in the half. Kylen Seeders was called for a charge and the Wildcats capitalized on the turnover, as Ryan Williams knocked down a three from the right wing, off of an assist from Ja’Den Williams to push their lead to, 24-9, as the Mustangs called for a time out with 3:33 to play in the half.
Galvan was called for a charge, but after regaining possession, Chasen Buckle picked up a steal and scored a fast-break lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Busby. He missed the free throw leaving the score, 24-11. Denver City closed out the first half on a, 7-2, scoring run to cut the lead to, 26-18, going into the locker room at halftime.
Yanez drained a three from the left elbow to open the third quarter and Ceniceros followed it up with a lay-up to cut the lead to three points, 26-23, as Littlefield took a time out with 5:54 to play in the third. Out of the break, Saenz dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Ja’Den Williams, but on the other end, Escobar was fouled on an attempt by Salazar earning a trip to the line. He made one-of-two shots from the line to make it a four-point game, 28-24.
Yanez hit Spencer Freeman in transition for a lay-up, but Green answered with a three from the right wing off of an assist from Salazar and Ja’Den Williams followed it up with a steal, sending the outlet pass down court to Green for the fastbreak lay-up, stretching their lead back out to, 33-26, with 2:39 remaining in the quarter. Buckle took a charge on Ja’Den Williams and Escobar followed it up with a floater from the right elbow, trimming the lead to, 33-28, with 1:38 remaining in the quarter.
Littlefield would close out the quarter strong, as Ryan Williams knocked down a three from the right elbow, off of an assist from Salazar and Trevino knocked down a jumper in the lane off of an assist from Ryan Williams, pushing their lead back out to, 38-28, going into the final quarter of play.
Trevino dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Busby to open the fourth quarter, but on the other end, Freeman was fouled on an attempt by Ryan Williams and split the free throws, trimming the lead to, 40-29. Ceniceros followed it up with a putback off of his own miss, as Littlefield took a time out with 6:31 remaining in the game. Out of the break, Martinez was fouled on an attempt by Ceniceros and converted both free throws to stretch their lead to, 42-31, with 5:46 remaining in the game.
Yanez got the ball inside to Escobar for a lay-up, as he drew an and-one foul on Ja’Den Williams. He converted the free throw, cutting the elad to, 42-34. With 3:30 remaining, Saenz grabbed an offensive rebound getting it to Green for a lay-up on the second-chance opportunity, as they pushed their lead back out to 10 points, 44-34.
Escobar dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Trevino. He converted the free throw to make it a seven-point Littlefield lead and Galvan buried a three from the left elbow to make it a four-point game, 44-40, with just under three minutes to play in the game. Littlefield took a time out with 2:45 remaining in the contest, and out of the break, Escobar pump faked under the basket before dropping ina lay-up to make it a onepossession game, 44-42.
Ryan Williams knocked down a jumper from the free-throw line, but Buckle answered with a three from the left elbow off of an assist from Galvan to make it a one-point game, 46-45, as Littlefield took a time out with 1:06 left to play. Out of the break, Ryan Williams hit Trevino for a lay-up, but Escobar answered quickly with a put-back off of his own miss for Denver City to make the score, 48-47.
Each team took a time out and out of the break, Martinez was fouled on the floor by Freeman with 13.9 seconds remaining. He converted both free throws to make it a three-point game, 50-47. Denver City took a time out with 1.4 seconds remaining and out of the break, Escobar’s three at the buzzer was off the mark as Littlefield survived a scare from the Mustangs.
Ryan Williams and Saenz led the team in scoring with 10 points apiece, while Green netted nine points, and Trevino finished with eight points. Martinez chipped in six points, while Salazar added three points and Ja’Den Williams and Busby each finished with two points in the contest.
The Wildcats were at Brownfield on Friday for their second meeting with the Cubs. 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.