The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team won their districtopener at home over Lamesa on Friday, 43-32.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 7-4 overall, 1-0 in district play.
The Wildcats won the opening tip-off, as senior forward, Tyree Jones, tipped the ball to senior forward, Chris Brown, who took it to the hoop for a lay-up, putting them in front, 2-0. Brown passed the ball into Jones on the next play, as Jones spun to the basket for a lay-up, making the score, 4-0.
Junior, Ethan Garcia, knocked down a jumper from the left wing as the Wildcats extended the lead to, 6-0, as Lamesa took a time out with 6:31 to play in the first quarter. Out of the break, senior guard, Jeremiah Salazar, hit junior, Jordan Trevino, with a no-look pass, as he dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Alejandro Diaz. The free throw was no good, leaving the score, 8-0.
On the other end, Pedro Barrioz was fouled on an attempt by Salazar. He split the free throws and Lamesa followed it up with a three from the right elbow, cutting the lead in half, with just over five minutes remaining in the quarter.
With 3:25 remaining in the opening quarter, Salazar scored a layup off of a steal, but on the other end, Diaz was fouled on an attempt by Trevino; he sank both free throws making the score, 10-6. Littlefield responded again, as Salazar drained a three from the top of the key off of the assist from senior guard, Joseph Salinas, pushing their lead back out to, 13-6.
Salazar knocked down a fadeaway jumper from the right wing, but the Golden Tornadoes answered with a bucket on the other end, making the score, 15-8, with under one minute remaining into the quarter. Salinas dropped in a tear-drop in the lane off of the assist from senior, Caden Longoria and Salazar buried a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Salinas at the buzzer, pushing their lead to, 20-8, as the first quarter came to a close.
Sean Zapata dropped in a jump hook from the right side to open the second quarter for Lamesa, but Salinas was fouled on the floor by Christian Ruiz, eearning a one-inone opportunity at the line. He converted one-of-two at the line, making the score, 21-10.
Diaz converted a pair of free throws for Lamesa, but on the other end, Brown was fouled on an attempt by Zapata. He converted both free throws, making the score, 23-12, with just over seven minutes to play in the half. Zapata knocked down a turnaround jumper from the right elbow and the Wildcats took a time out with 4:36 left to play in the second quarter.
Out of the break, Longoria drove the left side for a lay-up, but on the other end, Keeton Bolton drew a blocking foul on Brown, sending him to the line for free throws. He made one-of-two at the line, trimming the lead to, 25-15.
With 1:28 to play in the first half, Bolton dropped in a lay-up off of a steal and Robert Dimas split a pair of free throws with under a minute to play to make it a sevenpoint game, 25-18, going into the locker room at halftime.
Jones opened the second half with a lay-up off of the assist from Trevino and Brown followed it up with a lay-up off of the assist from Garcia, pushing their lead back out to, 29-18. Barrioz got the Golden Tornadoes on the board in the second half with a lay-up in transition, but Salazar answered with a lay-up on the right side, extending their lead to, 31-20, with 4:19 remaining in the third quarter.
Barrioz split a pair of free throws for Lamesa, as the Golden Tornadoes took a time out with 3:25 to play in the quarter. With 2:05 left to play in the quarter, Tervino knocked down a pull-up jumper from the free-throw line, but Lamesa responded, as Luke Martinez picked up a steal, getting it ahead to Max Rodriguez for a fast-break lay-up, cutting the lead to, 33-23.
Junior, Ty’Jae Chambers, scored a put-back off of a miss by Salinas, but Lamesa answered with a lay-up to keep the lead at 10 points, 35-25. With time winding down, Brown scored a put-back off of his own miss to close out the third quarter with the Wildcats up 12 points, 37-25.
Dimas picked up a steal to open the fourth quarter, as he drove the lane, dumping the ball off to Rodriguez for a lay-up in transition to cut the lead back to 10 points. Brown split a pair of free throws for Littlefield, but Lamesa scored a lay-up off of a Littlefield turnover to cut the lead to, 38-29, with 6:43 remaining in the contest.
Diaz split a pair of free throws after being fouled by Jones, who picked up his fourth foul of the contest and the Wildcats took a time out with 6:20 to play in the game. Out of the break, Jones was fouled on an attempt by Diaz, who racked up his fourth foul. Jones made the first, but the Wildcats were called for a lane violation on the second shot leaving the score, 39-30.
Brown dropped in a lay-up off of the inbound pass from Trevino and with 1:03 remaining, Brown was fouled on an attempt by Diaz, who fouled out of the contest. He converted both free throws, making the score, 43-30. Josiah Lugo dropped in a floater for Lamesa in the final minute of the game, but the Wildcats took their districtopener, 43-32, at home.
Brown led the Wildcats in scoring with 13 points, and he was joined in double-figures scoring by Salazar, who finished with 12 points. Jones tallied five points, while Trevino netted four points and Salinas chipped in three points.
Garcia, Chambers and Longoria each finished with two points in the contest.
The Wildcats were at Farwell on Tuesday. Results were not available at press time. They will return to action on Dec. 29th with a home game against the Sundown Roughnecks.
Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.