LADY WOLVERINES DROP SEASON-OPENER TO LOCKNEY, 55-47

The Springlake-Earth Lady Wolverines’ varsity basketball team fell short on Tuesday in their season-opener against Lockney, as they fell to the Lady Horns, 55-47.

With the loss, they fall to 0-1 overall on the season.

Lockney took a, 6-5, lead on a layup by Adrianna Villareal with 5:38 to play in the opening quarter, but on the other end, senior, Sayler Beerwinkle, dropped in a lay-up off of the inbound pass under the basket from senior, Micaela Fuentes. She drew an and-one foul on the play and converted the free throw to regain the lead, 8-6.

Mariah Ascensio dropped in a layup to tie the game for Lockney, 8-8, but the Lady Wolverines again answered on the offensive end, as Beerwinkle drove the left side of the basket, hitting Sydney Furr with a bounce pass for the lay-up to make the score, 10-8, with 4:27 remaining in the first quarter.

With 2:16 remaining in the first quarter, Adaliyah Jones scored a lay-up off of an outlet pass, but Springlake-Earth answered to keep a narrow lead, 12-10, with under two minutes to play in the quarter.

With 1:17 remaining in the quarter, Beerwinkle was fouled on an attempt by Ascensio, earning a trip to the line. She converted one-out-of-two shots at the line to extend their lead to three points, 13-10. In the closing seconds of the quarter, Beerwinkle dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from sophomore, Taytum Goodman, to make the score, 15-10, as the first quarter came to a close.

Goodman opened the second frame with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Beerwinkle, but Ascensio answered on the other end for Lockney with a put-back to make the score, 18-12. After an empty possession by the Lady Wolverines, Villareal dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on senior, Mahalia Delgado. She couldn’t covert the free throw, leaving the score, 18-14, with 6:39 to play in the first half.

With just under six minutes to play in the half, Ascensio heaved an outlet pass down court for Villareal who dropped in the lay-up, drawing an andone foul on Furr. She missed the free throw, making it a one-possession game, 18-16.

Springlake-Earth took a time out and out of the break, Delgado dropped in a lay-up off of the inbound pass from Fuentes under the basket to stretch their lead to, 20-16, with 5:40 remaining in the second quarter.

With just over three minutes remaining in the half, Ascensio buried a three from the top of the key to slice the lead to just one point, 20-19, however, Beerwinkle quickly answered on the other end with a spin and kick out to freshman, Emma Samaron, on the right elbow, who knocked down the jumper to make the score, 22-19.

Goodman drained a three from the left elbow, but Ascensio answered with a three of her own from the top of the key and followed it up on their next possession with a lay-up to make it a one-point Lady Wolverine lead, 25-24, with under one minute to play in the half.

Ascensio picked up a steal from Fuentes and took it the other way for a fast-break lay-up, giving Lockney the lead, 26-25, but, in the closing seconds, Samaron scored a put-back at the buzzer, off of the miss by Beerwinkle to put the Lady Wolverines in front, 27-26, heading into the locker room at halftime.

Goodman drove the lane and kicked it out to Samaron on the left side for the mid-range jumper to open the second half, but Villareal answered with a lay-up to make the score, 29-28, with just under seven minutes to play in the third quarter. Ascensio picked up a steal and got it ahead to Gabriella Cervantes for the fast-break lay-up to put Lockney back in front, 30-29.

Beerwinkle regained the lead for Springlake-Earth with a lay-up off of the assist from junior, Halee Toscano, but on the other end, Ascensio was fouled on an attempt by Delgado. She made one-out-of-two at the line to tie the game, 31-31, with just under five minutes to play in the contest.

Samaron scored a lay-up in transition and on their next possession, Beerwinkle was fouled on an attempt by Haven Walker. She made both attempts at the line, but a lane violation on the second shot, kept the score, 34-31, with the Lady Wolverines in front.

Lockney took a time out with 3:54 remaining in the third quarter and out of the break, Toscano knocked down a jumper in the lane, off of the assist from Delgado, making the score, 36-31. With just over three minutes to play in the quarter, Samaron knocked down a jumper from the right wing, off of the assist from Goodman, pushing their lead to, 38-31.

But, in the final seconds of the quarter, Cervantes dropped in a lay-up and was fouled on the play by Goodman, earning an and-one opportunity at the line. She missed the free throw cutting the lead to, 38-33, heading into the fourth quarter.

With just over one minute gone in the fourth quarter, Cervantes buried a three from the right elbow to make it a one-possession game, 38-36, as Springlake-Earth took a time out to talk things over. Out of the break, Delgado was fouled on the floor, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. She converted both free throws to push their lead out to four points, but on the other end, Jones dropped in a put-back off of the miss by Villareal to keep it a one-possession game, 40-38

Ẇith 4:39 remaining in the contest, Beerwinkle was fouled on a put-back attempt by Ascensio. She converted both free throws to again push their lead to four points, but on the other end, Villareal was fouled on an attempt by Delgado. She converted both free throws and then buried a three from the top of the key on their next possession to give Lockney a one-point advantage, 43-42, with 3:45 remaining.

Lockney would close out the game on a, 12-5, scoring run to take the contest, 55-47, over Springlake-Earth.

Beerwinkle led the team in scoring with 15 points, while Samaron joined her in double-figures scoring with 10 points. Toscano tallied eight points, while Goodman, chipped in six points and Delgado contributed four points. Fuentes and Furr each finished with two points in the contest.

The Lady Wolverines hosted Muleshoe on Saturday. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Tuesday with a home game against Smyer.

Tip-off is slated for 6:30 p.m.