The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team fell to the Brownfield Cubs in their first meeting of the season, 45-35.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 6-13 overall, 0-2 in district play.
Joey Martinez opened the contest with a three from the right elbow for Brownfield, but with 6:22 Jordan Trevino took a charge on Devin Hines to give the Wildcats an extra possession. Littlefield, though, couldn’t capitalize, as Jojo Carillo dropped in a lay-up to stretch their lead to, 5-0.
With just under five minutes left to play in the quarter, Omar Martinez was fouled on an attempt by Malik Mason. He converted both free throws to get Littlefield on the board, but on the other end, Carrillo was fouled on an attempt by Chip Green, earning a trip to the line. He split the free throws and followed it up with a lay-up in the closing seconds of the quarter to make the score, 8-2, in favor of the Cubs, heading into quarter number two.
Hines hit a long jumper from the right elbow to open the second quarter for Brownfield, but Jaron Cabello answered with a jumper from the free-throw line to trim the lead to, 10-4. Hines responded with a lay-up for the Cubs, but on the other end, MJ Randle was fouled on an attempt by Juan Najera. He made the first and missed the second, cutting the lead to, 12-5, with just over six minutes left to play in the first half.
Cabello knocked down a pullup jumper in the lane, but Hines answered with a bucket and he followed it up with a three from the right elbow to stretch their lead back out to, 17-7, as Littlefield took a time out with 3:39 remaining in the half.
Out of the break, Mason scored a put-back off of his own miss and Brownfield’s defense forced a 10-second call on Littlefield. The Cubs kept it going, as Q Busby drained a three from the right elbow, but Martinez stopped the run with a lay-up off of the inbound pass from Cabello to make the score, 22-9, with 2:08 remaining in the first half.
With 1:43 left to play in the second quarter, Green was fouled on the floor by Brandon Anthony, earning a trip to the line. He converted both shots at the line to trim the lead to, 22-11, going into the locker room at halftime.
Busby took a charge on Tyrell Norman to open the second half and Hines followed it up with a lay-up on the offensive end for Brownfield, but the Wildcats answered, as Green dropped in a layup off of the assist from Norman, making the score, 24-13, with just under seven minutes to play in the third quarter.
Joey Martinez fired right back with a three from the left elbow for the Cubs and on their next possession, Carrillo was fouled on an attempt by Jordan Trevino. He converted both shots at the line, making the score, 29-13. Norman got to the bucket for a lay-up for Littlefield and followed it up by taking a charge on Carrillo on the defensive end with 5:24 to play in the quarter.
Omar Martinez took a charge on Hines, but the Wildcats couldn’t capitalize, as the Cubs regained possession and they fired a pass through traffic to Hines for a layup to stretch their lead to, 31-15. Ty’Jae Chambers dropped in a put-back for the Wildcats and Elijah Salazar followed it up with a three from the left elbow, off of the assist from Ethan Garcia, but Brownfield closed out the quarter with a dagger three from the right wing by Joey Martinez to make the score, 34-20, going into the final quarter of play.
Anthony took a charge on Jordan Trevino, but the Wildcats would regain possession, as Norman took a charge on Busby with 6:47 left to play in the game. Najera banked in a tear-drop in the lane, as Littlefield took a time out with 6:04 left to play, trailing the Cubs, 36-20.
Out of the break, Anthony took a charge on Omar Martinez and Busby took a charge on Norman, who picked up his fourth foul of the game. With 5:03 remaining, Omar Martinez was fouled on an attempt by Carrillo. He split the free throws, stretching their lead to, 36-21.
The Cubs took a time out with 5:03 remaining and out of the break, Chambers was fouled on a put-back attempt by Najera. He split the attempts to trim the lead to, 36-22. on the defensive end, Chambers grabbed a rebound and got it to Omar Martinez, who went coast-to-coast for a lay-up, trimming the lead to, 36-24.
Green drained a three from the left wing, but Carrillo answered with a bucket for the Cubs, as the Wildcats took a time out with 3:22 remaining in the contest, trailing the Cubs, 38-27.
Out of the break, Carrillo was fouled on the floor by Randle and converted both free throws to make the score, 40-27. Chambers scored a put-back off of a miss by Omar Martinez, but Joey Martinez answered with a lay-up in transition for Brownfield to make the score, 42-29, with under two minutes left to play in the game.
Green knocked down a stepback three from the right wing to make it a 10-point game, 32-42, but with under one minute to play, Hines was fouled on the floor by Randle and split the free throws, making the score, 43-32. Randle popped a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Green, as Littlefield called a quick time out with 45.9 seconds left to play in the game, trailing 43-35.
However, out of the break, Carrillo would split two pairs of free throws to put the contest away, as Littlefield fell to the Cubs, 45-35.
Green led the team in scoring with 10 points, while Martinez netted seven points and Chambers finished with five points. Cabello and Randle each tallied four points, while Salazar netted three points and Norman finished with two points.
The Wildcats were at Friona on Tuesday. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Friday when they host Lamesa for their first meeting with the Golden Tornadoes.
Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.