The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team played the spoiler role on Tuesday, as they went on the road and took down the Muleshoe Mules, 86-43, on their senior night.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 26-3 overall, 9-1 in district play.
Adam Alarcon took a charge on Jeremiah Trevino to open the contest and the Mules capitalized, as Baylee Lovelady dropped in a lay-up off of a long pass from Alarcon to put the Mules in front, 2-0. Ryan Williams answered with a floater on the left baseline off of the assist from Trevino, and Chip Green followed it up with a lay-up off of a steal to put the Wildcats on top, 4-2, with 5:50 left to play in the opening quarter.
Alarcon was fouled on an attempt by Kam McCarty and converted both free throws to tie the game, 4-4, but it was short-lived, as McCarty dropped in a put-back off of his own miss on the other end to make the score, 6-4. Alarcon drove the right side for a Muleshoe lay-up, and on the next play,Alarcon drove to the basket dishing a behind the back pass to Lovelady, who dropped in the lay-up to Muleshoe in front, 8-6,as Littlefield took a 30-second time out with 3:16 remaining in the quarter.
Out of the break, Sir Pratt dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Ryan Williams to tie the game, but the Mules again answered, as Sergio Magallanes dropped in a lay-up off of an assist fromAlarcon, making the score, 10-8, in favor of the Mules, with 2:46 to play in the first quarter.
McCarty leaked out behind the defense, catching an outlet pass from Ryan Williams, as he finished off the play with a two-hand slam to make the score, 10-10. Ryan Williams hit Jayden Barrio on the two-on-one break for a lay-up and McCarty followed it up with a steal, dishing the outlet pass ahead to Ryan Williams for the fast-break lay-up, pushing their lead to, 14-10, with 1:10 to play in the quarter.
The Mules took a time out and out of the break, McCarty dropped in a floater in the lane, drawing an andone foul on the play. He converted the free throw, extending their lead to, 17-10, as the first quarter came to a close.
Ja’Den Williams grabbed an offensive rebound and got it to Green for a lay-up on the second-chance opportunity and Barrio was fouled on their next possession by Lovelady earning a trip to the line. He made one-oftwo shots from the line, making the score, 20-10, with 7:08 remaining in the first half. Ja’Den Williams kept the run going with a lay-up in the lane, but Alarcon stopped the scoring drought with a lay-up on the left side, making the score, 22-12, with just under six minutes to go in the half.
Josiah Garcia knocked down a short jumper in the lane off of the assist from Ja’Den Williams, but Alarcon again answered with a lay-up in transition, making the score, 24-14. With 4:41 to play in the half, Barrio was fouled on an attempt by Jojo Barron, earning a trip to the line. He converted both free throws, stretching their lead to, 26-14.
Aaron Morales dropped in a putback for the Mules, but Green responded with a three from the right elbow for the Wildcats, off of the assist from MJ Randle, pushing their lead to, 29-16. Ja’Den Williams followed it up with a drive for a lay-up and with just under 1:30 to play in the half, Ryan Williams buried a three from the left wing off of the assist from Ja’Den Williams, extending their lead to, 34-16.
Ryan Williams kept it going as he hit Green on the two-on-one fastbreak for a lay-up and with under a minute to play in the half, Randle picked up a steal and was fouled on the fast-break by Magallanes. He made one-of-two shots from the line, making the score, 37-16. Ethan Whitworth dropped in a lay-up for the Mules, but Ryan Williams closed out the first half with a put-back off of a missed free throw by Pratt, making the score, 39-18, going into the locker room at halftime.
With just under seven minutes to play in the third, Ja’Den Williams was fouled on a put-back attempt by Nathan Martens; he made one-of-two shots from the line, pushing their lead to, 40-18. Barron dropped in a floater to get the Mules on the board in the quarter, but on the other end, Trevino got the ball inside to Ja’Den Williams for a lay-up, making the score, 42-20.
Barron dropped in another bucket for the Mules, but on the next play, Ja’Den Williams pushed the outlet pass ahead to Green, who dished it across the lane to Ryan Williams in transition for a lay-up, stretching the lead to, 44-22, with 5:04 to play in the third quarter. Ryan Williams hit Green with a no-look pass for a lay-up and Randle followed it up with a three off of an assist from Ryan Williams, making the score, 49-22, as the Mules took a time out to talk things over.
Out of the break, Green hit a cutting Ja’DenWilliams for a lay-up and Green followed it up with a three from the left elbow off of an assist from Garcia to stretch the lead to, 54-22, with 2:11 to play in the third. Barron knocked down a jumper from the free-throw line, but McCarty answered with a lay-up, making the score, 56-24. Magallanes scored a fast-break lay-up off of a turnover by McCarty and Barron took a charge on McCarty on the next play, but Littlefield would regain possession, as Barrio passed the ball to Pratt, who gave it right back to Barrio on the give-and-go, as Barrio finished off the play with a reverse lay-up, making the score, 58-26.
Martens split a pair of free throws for the Mules after being fouled by McCarty, but Barrio drained a three from the left elbow at the buzzer, off of an assist from McCarty, as the Wildcats took a, 61-27, lead into the final quarter of play.
Garcia hit Barrio on a back-door cut for a lay-up along the right baseline, but Alarcon answered with a three from the left elbow, making the score, 63-30. McCarty got into the paint for a lay-up off of the screen from Pratt and Barrio followed it up with a lay-up on the left side, making the score, 67-30, with 6:26 left to play.
The Wildcats went on a tear, as McCarty dropped in a lay-up and Green knocked down back-to-back threes and followed it up with a putback, extending their lead to, 77-30, with 4:20 remaining in the contest. Lovelady knocked down a jumper from the left elbow to stop the bleeding for Muleshoe, but McCarty fired right back with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Barrio, making the score, 80-32.
Alarcon dropped in a lay-up for the Mules, but Trevino was fouled on a second-chance try by Mauricio Herrera. He converted both free throws, pushing their lead to, 82-34. Ja’Den Williams hit Ryan Williams in transition for a lay-up, but Barron and Alarcon scored back-to-back lay-ups, trimming the lead to, 84-38, with two minutes to play. Butler scored a layup in transition for the Mules, but on the next play, Ryan Williams was fouled on an attempt by Magallanes. He sank both free throws, stretching the lead to, 86-40.
With time winding down in the contest, Alarcon buried a deep three from the left elbow, as Littlefield took the contest, 86-43.
The Wildcats were led by Green, who poured in 22 points, to go along with 11 rebounds, four steals and two assists. He was joined in double-figures scoring by McCarty who netted 16 points, three rebounds, three steals and two assists, while Ryan Williams chipped in 15 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals, and Barrio contributed 14 points, two assists, one rebound and one steal.
Ja’Den Williams tallied nine points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Randle contributed four points, one rebound and one steal, and Trevino chipped in two points, two rebounds and one assist. Garcia added two points, two assists and one rebound, while, Pratt finished with two points, five rebounds, one assist and one block.
The Wildcats traveled to Denver City on Friday for their second meeting with the Mustangs. Results were not available at press time. They will close out their regular season on Tuesday with a home game against Dimmitt.
Tip-off is slated for 6:30 p.m.