The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team finished off play at the 32nd Wildcat Classic on Friday, as they took down the New Home Leopards, 57-41, to claim the Tournament Championship.
With the win the Wildcats finished tournament play for the week undefeated, moving to 16-3 overall, 0-1 in district play.
Ryan Williams got the Wildcats off and running with a drive and kick out to MJ Randle, who knocked down a three from the right wing to put the Wildcats in front, 3-0. Brazos Beck split a pair of free throws, but Omar Martinez drove the left side of the basket for a lay-up on the other end, to extend their lead to, 5-1, with 5:36 to play in the opening quarter.
Ryan Williams hit Omar Martinez with an outlet pass for a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Caleb Cook. He missed the free throw, but Jeremiah Trevino grabbed the offensive rebound, which led to a three by Randle from the top of the key, pushing their lead to, 10-1, with just over five minutes to play in the quarter.
Dane Armes dropped in a lay-up for the Leopards and Owen Morris followed it up with a three from the left elbow to cut the lead to, 10-6, with just over four minutes to go in the opening quarter. But the Wildcats answered, as Ja’Den Williams passed the ball off of the back of a New Home player under the basket and dropped it in for a lay-up, extending their lead to, 12-6.
Caleb Cook dropped in a lay-up for New Home, but Martinez answered with a lay-up of his own on the other end to make the score, 14-8. New Home again got to the basket for a lay-up, but the Wildcats had the answer, as Ryan Williams dropped in an outlet pass to Sir Pratt, who finished off the break with a lay-up to stretch their lead to, 16-10.
Colby Cook dropped in a lay-up with under a minute to play, but on the other end, Jayden Barrio drove to the basket for a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Trey Evans. Barrio converted the free throw to make it a seven-point Littlefield lead, but with time winding down in the quarter, Jackson Martinez was fouled on the floor by Ja’Den Williams. He split the attempts and with 1.9 seconds to play in the first, Barrio was fouled on the floor by Colby Cook, earning a trip to the line. Barrio made one-of-two shots from the line to make the score, 20-13, as the first quarter came to a close.
Barrio banked in a floater from the left elbow off of the assist from Martinez to open the second quarter, but Mason Turnbow answered with a put-back off of a miss by Grayson Evans, trimming the lead to, 22-15, with under six minutes to play in the first half. Chip Green was fouled on a putback attempt by Evans. He converted both attempts from the line and Barrio followed it up with a steal, getting the ball ahead to Martinez, who missed the initial shot, but Trevino was there for the put-back, pushing their lead to, 26-15.
With 4:23 remaining in the half, Armes was fouled on an attempt by Trevino and split the attempts at the line, making the score, 26-16. Colby Cook followed it up with a put-back for the Leopards and Morris drove the lane on the next play, dumping the ball off to Nevin Mojica for a lay-up, as Littlefield took a time out with their lead cut to, 26-20, with 2:55 remaining in the half.
Out of the break, Martinez took a charge on Beck, but the Wildcats were unable to capitalize, as Caleb Cook was fouled on an attempt by Omar Martinez with under a minute to play in the half. He made one-of-two shots from the line, making it a five-point Littlefield lead, but Barrio answered with a lay-up in transition off of the assist from Randle, pushing their lead back out to, 28-21.
Caleb Cook drove in for a lay-up to close out the first half with Littlefield in front, 28-23.
Ryan Williams got the ball to Green, who found Omar Martinez in transition for a lay-up to open the second half, but Jackson Martinez answered with a lay-up to make it a five-point game, 30-25. Trevino knocked down a mid-range jumper from the left wing, but on the other end, Caleb Cook drew a blocking foul on Omar Martinez, earning a trip to the line. He split the free throws, but Trevino responded again for the Wildcats with a midrange jumper from the left wing, making the score, 34-26.
Caleb Cook dropped in a lay-up from the left side, but Green answered with a three from the right wing, and Ryan Willaims followed it up with a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Beck. He converted the free throw to stretch the lead back out to, 40-28, with 3:51 to play in the third quarter. Green knocked down a runner in the lane off of the assist from Omar Martinez and Trevino followed it up with a three from the left wing off of the assist from Ryan Williams, as New Home took a time out trailing, 45-28, with 2:03 left to play in the third.
Out of the break, Randle took a charge on Armes and Omar Martinez followed it up with a three from the left wing off of the assist from Ryan Williams, making the score, 48-28. With under a minute to play in the quarter, Omar Martinez saved a ball from going out of bounds to Trevino under the basket, who dropped in the layup to push their lead to, 50-28. However, Jackson Martinez knocked down a three from the top of the key to end the third quarter with Littlefield in front, 50-31.
Jackson Martinez dropped in a putback off of a miss by Caleb Cook to open the fourth quarter and he followed it up with a lay-up, trimming the lead to, 50-35. Littlefield took a time out to prevent a turnover with 6:25 to play in the game, and out of the break, Trevino dropped in a lay-up to push the lead back out to, 52-35.
Turnbow dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Jackson Martinez, but with 3:18 remaining, Randle drove the lane and dumped the ball off to Ja’Den Williams, who was fouled on an attempt by Turnbow. He made one-oftwo shots from the line to make the score, 53-37. Randle was fouled on the floor by Turnbow and he too split a pair of free throws, making the score, 54-37, with 2:25 left to play.
Colby Cook dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Turnbow, but with 1:18 left to play, Green was fouled on the floor by Colby Cook; he converted both shots from the line to make the score, 56-39. Beck dropped in a layup off of a turnover for New Home, but in the closing seconds, Trevino split a pair of free throws, as they went on to take the contest, 57-41.
Trevino led the Wildcats in scoring with 14 points, to go along with nine rebounds, two steals and one block, while Martinez tallied 11 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Green contributed nine points, four rebounds and two assists, while Barrio added eight points, two rebounds, one steal and one block.
Randle tallied seven points and one assist, while Ryan Williams contributed three points, seven assists, six rebounds and three steals and Ja’Den Williams added three points, one steal and one block. Pratt finished with two points and one rebound.
The Wildcats hosted Levelland for a non-district match-up to start the new year on Tuesday. Results were not available at press time. They resumed district play on Friday with a home game against Lamesa.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.