The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team topped the Muleshoe Mules on the road on Tuesday night, 58-43.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 14-9 overall, 7-4 in district play.
Junior guard, Jordan Trevino, took a charge on Victor Velasquez to open the game and senior wing, Caden Longoria knocked down a jumper from the left wing to put the Wildcats up, 2-0. Irvin Torres drove the right side for a lay-up to tie the game, 2-2, but on the other end, senior point guard, Jeremiah Salazar, was fouled on an attempt by Brennen Davis, earning a trip to the line. He split the free throws to give the Wildcats a one-point lead, 3-2.
With 4:28 remaining in the opening quarter, Davis was fouled on an attempt by senior forward, Tyree Jones. He converted both free throws to give Muleshoe their first lead of the game, 4-3. Brown answered for Littlefield with a lay-up off of the assist from Jones and on the defensive end, senior guard, Joseph Salinas, took a charge on Velasquez to give the Wildcats an extra possession.
Brown scored a put-back off of a miss by Trevino and Salazar followed it up with a jumper from the right wing off of the assist from Salinas, pushing their lead out to, 9-4. With time winding down in the quarter, Brown drove to the basket for a lay-up, off of the assist from Salazar to close out the first quarter with the Wildcats out in front, 11-4.
Velasquez opened the second quarter with a three from the top of the key for Muleshoe to cut the lead to, 11-7, but Jones answered with a put-back off of a miss by junior wing, Ethan Garcia, making the score, 13-7. Velasquez again scored for the Mules on a put-back off of a miss by Torres, but the Wildcats were able to answer once more, as Trevino drove the right side of the basket for a lay-up, extending their lead to, 15-9.
Jones poked away a steal in the halfcourt and finished off the play with a breakaway two-hand slam dunk to stretch their lead to, 17-9, with just over five minutes remaining in the half. Salazar was fouled on an attempt by Davis and sank both free throws, but on the other end, Torres answered with a three from the right elbow, off of the assist from Zach Hasley to trim the lead to, 19-12, with 3:33 remaining in the first half.
Brown knocked down a pullup jumper from the left elbow and Jones was fouled on a fast break by Eliasar Cisneros, earning a trip to the line. He converted both free throws to make the score, 23-12. Doc Gardner scored a put-back off of a miss by Jeremiah Barron and Velasquez followed it up with a lay-up to make the score, 23-16, with 1:43 to play in the half.
Muleshoe took a time out with 1:22 remaining in the second quarter and out of the break, Velasquez dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on junior, Jaron Cabello. He converted the free throw to make it a fourpoint game, 23-19. Cabello answered with a corner three from the right side, off of the assist from Salinas, stretching their lead to, 26-19, as the Wildcats took a time out with 31.5 seconds to play in the half.
Salazar was fouled on an attempt at the buzzer by Davis and sank both free throws to send Littlefield into the locker room on top of Muleshoe, 28-19.
Velasquez buried a three from the left wing off of the assist from Torres to cut the lead to, 28-22, to open the second half and Cisneros followed it up with a steal, getting it ahead to Hasley on the two-on-one break for a lay-up, cutting the lead back down to four points, 28-24.
Jones stopped the run with a lay-up, but Torres quickly answered with a three from the left elbow to make it a three-point game, 30-27. Brown dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Jones, but Torres again answered with a three from the right elbow, making the score, 32-30, with just over five mintues to play in the third quarter.
Jones was fouled on an attempt by Velasquez with 4:40 left to play in the quarter. He converted both free throws, making the score, 34-30. Torres responded with a lay-up for Muleshoe, but Salazar dropped in a basket for the Wildcats and Jones followed it up with a putback off of a miss by Salazar to stretch their lead back out to, 38- 32.
Torres scored a put-back, but Longoria answered with a layup off of the assist from Brown to keep it a six-point game, 40- 34. Trevino was fouled on an attempt by Torres and split the free throws to make it a seven-point game and in the closing seconds of the quarter, Brown grabbed an offensive rebound and dropped in the put-back, drawing an and-one foul on Braden Shipman. He converted the free throw to make it a 10- point lead, 44-34, heading into the final quarter of play.
Barron dropped in a lay-up on the fast-break to open the fourth quarter, but Jones dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Salinas, keeping it a 10-point game, 46-36, as the Wildcats took a time out with 5:45 remaining in the game.
Muleshoe took a time out with 5:21 remaining in the game and out of the break, Tervino was fouled on an attempt by Barron; he converted both free throws, pushing their lead to, 48-36. Gardner was fouled on a threepoint attempt by Brown and made two-of-three shots at the line, but Brown answred on the other end with a lay-up, off of the assist from Trevino, making the score, 50-38.
Muleshoe took a time out with 3:12 remaining in the game and out of the break, Jones poked away a steal and took it the other way for a fast-break lay-up, making the score, 52-38. On their next possession, Salazar was fouled on the floor by Barron, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. He sank both free throws, pushing their lead to, 54-38.
Brown dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Salinas, but Gardner answered with a three from the left elbow, trimming the lead to, 56-41. Muleshoe took a quick time out with 1:09 remaining, and out of the break, Velasquez dropped in a lay-up, off of the assist from Abraham Mendoza. But, Brown dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Cabello to close out the game, 58-43.
The Wildcats had three players finish in double-figures scoring, led by Brown, who finished with 19 points. Jones chipped in 16 points, while Salazar finished with 11 points.
Trevino netted five points, while Longoria contributed four points and Cabello added three points in the contest.
The Wildcats hosted Denver City on Friday. Results were not available at press time.