The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team suffered their first loss of district play on Friday night, as they fell to the Lamesa Golden Tornadoes at home, 61-56.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 13-11 overall, 5-1 in district play.
Robert Dimas drove the left side for a lay-up to open the contest for Lamesa, but on the other end, Ryan Williams dished a pass to Zeke Saenz for a lay-up to tie the game, and Chip Green followed it up with a fast-break lay-up off of the assist from Q Busby, making the score, 4-2, with 5:42 remaining in the opening quarter.
Jeremiah Trevino drained a three from the left wing off of an assist from Ryan Williams, but Luke Martinez answered with a three from the right elbow for Lamesa to make the score, 75, with 4:49 left to play in the first. Ryan Williams was fouled on an attempt by Sean Zapata earning a trip to the line. He made one-of-two shots at the line, but on the other end, Zapata answered with a lay-up in the paint to cut the Littlefield lead to one point, 87.
With 3:25 remaining in the first quarter, Omar Martinez knocked down a floater over Zapata, but Luke Martinez answered, as he was fouled on a shot attempt by Saenz. He made one-oftwo shots at the line, making the score, 10-8, with 3:17 remaining in the quarter. Luke Martinez scored alayup off of a turnover by Omar Martinez and Zapata took a charge on Trevino to regain possession for Lamesa.
The Golden Tornadoes couldn’t capitalize on the turnover, as Ryan Williams was fouled on a shot attempt by Braden Escobedo earning a trip to the line. He converted both shots at the line to put the Wildcats back in front, 12-10, and on their next possession, Ryan Williams dished a no-look pass to Trevino for a lay-up, pushing their lead to, 14-10, with just under two minutes remaining in the quarter.
Richie Dimas knocked down a three from the right wing to make it a onepoint game and Shane Todd followed it up with a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Luke Martinez to put Lamesa in front, 1614. With time winding down in the quarter, Trevino scored a lay-up off of an assist from Ryan Williams to tie the game, 16-16, and on the defensive end, Busby took a charge on Luke Martinez to close out the quarter.
Green drained a three from the left wing off of an assist from Omar Martinez and Omar Martinez took a charge on Pedro Barrioz on the defensive end to regain possession for the Wildcats with 6:49 to play in the half. Busby dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Omar Martinez, as Lamesa took a time out with 6:39 to play in the half. Out of the break, Busby took a charge on Luke Martinez and after the play Luke Martinez was called for a technical foul, sending Green to the line for a pair of free throws. Green, however, would miss both free throws, leaving the score, 21-16.
Richie Dimas dropped in a lay-up in transition for Lamesa, but Ryan Williams answered with a doubleclutch lay-up to extend their lead to, 23-18. Richie Dimas drove the lane for a lay-up and on their next possession, Robert Dimas was fouled on an attempt by Green. He converted both free throws to cut the lead to one point, 23-22, with 5:11 to play in the half.
Ja’Den Williams knocked down a jumper in the lane off of an assist from Busby, but Lamesa answered, as Robert Dimas split a pair of free throws and Zapata followed it up with a layup to tie the game, 25-25, with 2:38 to play in the half. Littlefield took a time out with 2:30 to play in the half, and out of the break, Ja’Den Willaims had a shot blocked by Zapta, but Ryan Williams was able to gather it on the wing and knocked down a three from the right side to put the Wildcats back in front, 28-25.
With just over one minute remaining in the half, Robert Dimas was fouled on an attempt by Trevino and split the free throws to make it a onepossession game, 28-26. With time winding down in the half, Richie Dimas knocked down a three from the right elbow and Escobedo split a pair of free throws to put the Golden Tornadoes up by two, 30-28, going into the locker room at halftime.
Luke Martinez dropped in a lay-up in transition, drawing an and-one foul on Busby to open the second half. He converted the free throw to give Lamesa a five-point lead, 33-28. Keeton Bolton dished a pass to Luke Martinez, who faked it back to Bolton on his way to a lay-up in transition, stretching the Lamesa lead to, 35-28, with 6:10 to play in the third.
Littlefield took a time out with 6:07 to play in the third, and out of the break, Busby took a charge on Luke Martinez, who picked up his fourth foul of the game. The Wildcats capitalized on the turnover, as Omar Martinez dropped in a floater from the left side to trim the lead to, 35-30, as Lamesa took a time out with 5:08 remaining in the third. Out of the break, Saenz dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Ryan Williams, but Robert Dimas quickly answered to push their lead back out to, 37-32, with just under four minutes to play in the quarter.
Ryan Williams dropped a dime to Saenz for a lay-up, as he drew an andone foul on Zapata. Saenz could not convert the free throw, leaving the score, 37-34. Ryan Williams and Omar Martinez forced a jumpball, but Lamesa responded with a floater in transition and Robert Dimas followed it up with a lay-up in transition to push their lead to, 41-34, with 2:21 remaining in the quarter.
With time winding down in the quarter, Ryan Williams was fouled on an attempt by Todd and split the free throws, making the score, 41-35, and in the closing seconds of the third quarter, Omar Martinez drained a halfcourt shot to cut the lead to, 41-38, going into the final quarter of play.
Luke Martinez buried a three from the left elbow off of a turnover by Omar Martinez to open the fourth quarter, but on the other end, Green was fouled on an attempt by Bolton. He sank both free throws to make it a four-point game, and Busby followed it up with a steal taking it down court and dishing it across the lane to Green for a lay-up to make it a one-possession Lamesa lead, 44-42.
Lamesa took a time out with 6:51 to play in the game, and out of the break, Busby kicked the ball out to Green on the right wing, who buried a three to regain the lead for the Wildcats, 4544. Zapata answered with a lay-up for Lamesa, but Ryan Williams responded with a no-look pass across the lane to Busby for a lay-up to make the score, 47-46, in favor of the Wildcats, as they called a time out with 5:30 remaining in the contest.
Out of the break Robert Dimas split a pair of free throws, but Green answered with a three from the left wing off of an assist from Saenz, giving them a three-point advantage, 50-47. Zapata scored a put-back off of his own miss and Robert Dimas dropped in a lay-up in transition to put Lamesa back in front, 51-50, with 4:10 left to play. With just over three minutes remaining in the game, Luke Martinez dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Botlon, but o the next play Green was fouled on the floor by Luke Martinez, who fouled out of the contest, sending Green to the line for a one-in-one opportunity.
Green made one-of-two shots at the line to make it a one-possession game, but Barrioz answered with a lay-up on the left side for Lamesa to stretch their lead to, 55-51. Barrioz was fouled on the floor by Ian Mendez and made both shots on the one-in-one opportunity to push their lead to six points, but on the other end, Omar Martinez was fouled on an attempt by Zapata, who picked up his fourth foul of the game.
Omar Martinez made one-of-two shots at the line to trim the lead to, 5752, with under two minutes remaining. Zapata dropped in a lay-up for Lamesa, but on the other end, Trevino was fouled on the floor by Todd. He made both shots at the line, as Littlefield took a time out to talk things over, trailing, 59-54. With 23.4 seconds remaining, Omar Martinez dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Elijah Salazar, making it a three-point game, as the Wildcats took another time out.
After a Lamesa time out, Barrioz was fouled on the floor by Green and made one-of-two shots from the line, but Robert Dimas was able to gather the offensive rebound. Barrioz was fouled by Ryan Williams and split the free throws to ice the game for Lamesa, 61-56.
Green led the Wildcats in scoring with 16 points and he was joined in double-figures scoring by Martinez, who finished with 10 points. Trevino and Ryan Williams each netted nine points, while Saenz tallied six points and Busby finished with four points. Ja’Den Williams added two points in the contest.
The Wildcats were open on Tuesday and will begin the second half of district play on Friday when they travel to Muleshoe to take on the Mules.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.