The Littlefield Wildcats’ basketball team opened tournament play at the New Home Team Camp last Friday, as they took down Wink, 58-37.
With the win, they moved to 1-0 in tournament play.
The Wildcats opened up the first half with a steal in their own end from Major McNeese, as he passed it ahead to Ryan Williams, who then dished it to Kam McCarty for a quick lay-up to put them in front, 2-0, with 15:05 to play in the opening half.
Jayden Barrio followed it up with a lay-up in transition off of a Wink turnover, but Wink responded on the other end with a three to cut the lead to, 4-3, with 14:13 to play in the half. McCarty answered right back with a lay-up off of the assist from Ben Castillo, but on the other end, Wink drew a shooting foul and converted the free throw to keep it a one-point Littlefield lead, 6-5.
With 11:23 remaining in the first half, McCarty drove the middle for a lay-up, to push their lead to,8-5, but after an empty possession from Littlefield, Wink drilled a three from the left elbow to tie the game, 8-8, with 10:28 to play in the half. Wink followed it up with a lay-up to take their first lead of the game, but it was short-lived, as McCarty knocked down a three from the top of the key to reclaim the lead, 1110.
Castillo picked up a steal and got it ahead to Barrio in transition for a lay-up and on their next possession, Williams was fouled on an attempt and converted the free throw to stretch their lead to, 1510, with 8:30 to play in the half. McCarty and Wink exchanged threes from the elbow and McCarty drove the right side for a lay-up to make the score, 20-13, with just over seven minutes to go in the half.
Barrio drove the middle for a lay-up, but on the other end, Wink drew a shooting foul on Jose Payan. They converted the free throw, but Littlefield would respond, as Barrio dropped in a putback off of a miss by McNeese, extending the lead to, 24-15, with 4:50 to go in the half.
Wink knocked down another three, but Barrio again answered with a lay-up to make the score, 26-18. Wink stayed hot from range with another three and followed it up with a lay-up, slicing the lead to, 26-23, with under three minutes to play in the half.
Williams used a pump fake from the elbow to get by the defense for a lay-up and he followed it up with a pull-up three from the left elbow, making the score, 31-23, with under a minute to go in the half. Wink dropped in a lay-up on the left side, but McCarty closed out the half with a three from the left elbow to make the score, 3425, going into halftime.
McNeese opened the second half with a jumper from the left wing off of a long assist from Williams, but Wink answered with a lay- up off of a turnover by McCarty, making the score, 36-27, with 14:15 to play in the game.
Barrio kicked a pass out to Williams, who buried a three from the right wing and with 8:55 to play, McCarty drained a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Payan, pushing their lead to, 4227. Williams was fouled on an attempt and sank the free throw to stretch their lead to, 44-27, and McCarty followed it up with another three from the right elbow off of the assist from Williams, pushing their lead to 20 points.
With 7:16 remaining, McCarty was fouled on a dunk attempt and converted the free throw to make the score, 49-27. Aydin Ozbirn kept the rally going, as he hit Barrion with an outlet pass for a lay-up, making the score, 51-27, with 6:26 to play in the game. With 3:33 to play, Barrio dropped in a lay-up in transition off of the assist form Ozbirn, but Wink answered with a lay- up to end their scoring drought, making the score, 53-29.
Williams dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from McNeese, but Wink responded with a three from the right corner to trim the lead to, 55-32. Wink as fouled on an attempt by Williams with under two minutes to play. They made the free throw, trimming the lead to, 55-34, but Williams, on the other end, drained a three from the right elbow off of the screen from Barrio, making the score, 58-34. Wink closed out the game with a lay-up drawing an and-one foul on the play, as Littlefield took the contest, 58-37.
McCarty led the team in scoring with 25 points, while Williams tallied 17 points and Barrio chipped in 14 points. McNeese contributed two points in the contest.