The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team used a second half surge to rally past the Idalou Wildcats on Tuesday in Littlefield, 5852.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 4-0 overall on the season.
Derek Cantu opened the contest with a put-back off of a miss from Kutter Houchin, but Chip Green answered with a three from the right wing to put Littlefield in front, 3-2, with 5:55 to play in the opening quarter. Cantu dropped in a lay-up on the inbound play to regain the lead for Idalou, but it was short-lived, as MJ Randle picked up a steal and got it ahead to Omar Martinez for a fast-break lay-up, making the score, 5-4.
Martinez dropped in a lay-up off of the inbound pass from Ryan Williams, but Logan Mennel answered with a put-back on the other end off of his own miss to make the score, 7-6, with just over three minutes remaining in the first quarter. Martinez buried a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Jeremiah Trevino, but Houston Stark answered with a lay-up for Idalou, making the score, 10-8.
Kam McCarty dropped in a layup off of the assist from Jayden Barrio, putting Littlefield back up by two possessions, 12- 8, as Idalou took a time out with 1:41 remaining in the first quarter. Out of the break, Jenson Davis drove to the basket for a lay-up and on the other end, Stark took a charge on McCarty, regaining possession for Idalou with 1:18 to play in the quarter. Houchin dropped in a floater in the lane on a secondchance bucket to tie the game, 1212, as the first quarter came to a close.
Lucas Jarnagin dropped in a put-back to open the second frame and Cantu followed it up with a three from the right elbow to stretch Idalou’s lead to, 17-12, with 6:31 remaining in the first half. With just over five minutes to play in the half, Davis scored on a fastbreak lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Green. He converted the free throw, extending the lead to, 20-12.
With 4:33 to play in the half, Jarnagin was fouled on an attempt by Ryan Williams, earning a trip to the free-throw line and after the play, Martinez was hit with a technical foul.
Jarnagin made one of his two free throws and Stark went to the line to shoot the technicals, making one-of-two shots, pushing their lead to, 22-12. Littlefield took a time out with 4:33 remaining in the first half, and out of the break, Green was fouled on an attempt by Davis. He converted both free throws, making the score, 22-14.
Sir Pratt dropped in a put-back off of a miss from Barrio and Idalou took a time out with 2:06 remaining in the half to prevent a five-second call. Out of the break, Stark dropped in a runner from the left side, but on the next play, Green was fouled on an attempt by Davis, who picked up his third foul of the game. Green converted both free throws to make the score, 2418, in favor of Idalou going into the locker room at halftime.
Randle opened the second half with a steal, as he got it ahead to Green who fed it to Martinez, who was fouled on the fast-break by Cantu, who picked up his third foul of the game. Martinez split the free throws, trimming the lead to, 2419. Ryan Williams hit a cutting Martinez for a lay-up on their next possession, slicing the lead to, 2421, and on the defensive end, Trevino took a charge on Tate Hendley, regaining possession for Littlefield.
With 6:10 remaining in the third quarter, Martinez drove to the basket going behind the back before finishing with a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on the play. He missed the free throw, leaving the score, 24-23, however on the next play, Martinez would pick up a steal and finish with a reverse layup, drawing an and-one foul on Stark. He converted thre free throw to give Littlefield a twopoint advantage, 26-24, with 5:54 to play in the third.
Hendley knocked down a deep thre from the left elbow to regain the lead for Idalou, but it was short-lived, as Trevino answered with a drive to the basket for a layup, drawing an and-one foul on cantu, his fourth. He missed the free throw, leaving the score, 2827, as Littlefield regained the lead. With 5:18 to play in the quarter, Hendley drained another three from the left wing, putting Idalou back in front, 30-28, but McCarty split a double team and dropped in a floater from the right side to tie the game, 30-30.
With 3:38 to play in the third quarter, Martinez dropped in a floater from the left side, but Houchin answered with a reverse lay-up, keeping the game tied, 3232. Martinez sank a floater in the lane and then followed it up with a drive and kick out to Green on the right wing, who buried a three to stretch their lead to, 37- 32. Houchin dropped in a lay-up, but with 1:46 remaining in the quarter, Ryan williams was fouled on the floor by Davis, who picked up his fourth foul of the game.
Ryan Williams converted both free throws to make it a five-point Littlefield lead, but on the other end, Stark was fouled on an attempt by Ja’Den Williams, earning a trip to the line. He sank both free throws, but with time winding down in the quarter, McCarty drew a shooting foul on Mennel; he made one-of-two shots from the line to give Littlefield a, 40-36, lead going into the final quarter of play.
Ryan Williams opened the fourth quarter with a drive to the basket for a lay-up off of the assist from McCarty and he followed it up with a pass to Green in transition for a lay-up, stretching their lead to, 44-36, as Idalou took a time out to talk things over. Out of the break, Hendley hit Houchin on a back-door cut for a lay-up and Houching followed it up with a layup on the fast-break to cut the lead to, 44-40, with 5:41 to play in the game.
Stark was fouled on an attempt by Trevino, who picked up his fourth foul of the game; Stark converted one-of-two free throws to make it a three-point game, but on the other end, Martinez was fouled on an attempt by Mennel. He sank both free throws to push the lead back out to five points, 46-41, but Houchin answered with a floater from the right side and Stark followed it up with a floater in the lane to make it a one-point game, 46-45, with 4:16 left to play.
Stark dropped in a flaoter in the lane, drawing an and-one foul on Green. He converted the free throw to put Idalou in front, 48-46, but with 3:25 left in the game, Littlefield’s defense forced a 10second call on Idalou to regain possession. Ja’Den Williams dropped in a put-back off of a miss by McCarty to tie the game, and Martinez was fouled on an attempt by Stark with 2:08 left to play. He sank both free throws and followed it up with a lay-up off of a steal to stretch their lead back out to, 52-48.
Idalou took a time out with 1:45 remaining, and out of the break, Houchin dropped in a floater from the right elbow, but Ryan Williams answered with a no-look pass to Ja’Den Williams for a lay-up, making the score, 54-50, with under a minute to play. Greenwas fouled on the floor by Houchin, who picked up his fourth foul of the game with 29.2 seconds to play. Green converted both free throws, but Houchin responded with a quick lay-up, as Idalou took their last time out with 22.6 seconds to play, trailing, 56-52.
Out of the break, Martinez was fouled on the floor by Houchin, who fouled out of the contest, as Martinez went to the line for free throws. He sank both shots to ice the game, as Littlefield took the contest, 58-52.
Martinez led the way for the Wildcats pouring in 27 points, to go along with four rebounds, four steals and one assist, while Green tallied 14 points, four rebounds and one steal, and McCarty tallied five points, two rebounds and one steal.
Ja’Den Williams chipped in four points, two rebounds and one steal, while Ryan Williams contributed four points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block, and Pratt added two points, one rebound and one block. Randle tallied two steals and one assist and Trevino finished with two points and one assist.