LADY CATS IMPROVE TO 2-0 IN DISTRICT PLAY

The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team improved to 2-0 in district play on Tuesday, as they went on the road and took down the Denver City Fillies, 50-29.

Melissa Soto was fouled on an at tempt by Brookelyn Gau to open the contest. She made one-of-two shots at the line, but the Lady Cats quickly answered, as Ashtyn Parker pulled up for a jumper from the left wing, off of the assist from Gau, putting the Lady Cats in front, 2-1.

With 4:22 left in the opening quarter, Madison McNeese scored a putback off of her own miss on a thirdchance opportunity and followed it up with a pull-up jumper in the lane off of the assist from Kennadi Hanlin, pushing their lead to, 6-1. Denver City took a time out with 3:34 remaining in the opening quarter to prevent a 10- second call, and out of the break, McNeese scored a lay-up off of a steal to make the score, 8-1.

With 2:33 remaining in the quarter, Soto was fouled on an attempt by Leilani Solis. She converted both free throws, but Hanlin answered with a three from the left elbow to stretch their lead to, 11-3, with 2:25 left to play in the quarter. Arianna Cruz was fouled on an attempt by Sydney Roberts with just over two minutes to play in the first. She made the first shot and missed the second, but the ball went out of bounds off of the Fillies.

Victoria Rodriguez knocked down a runner in the lane for Denver City, but Cruz answered with a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Gau to push their lead to, 15-5. Roberts buried a jumper from the right elbow for the Fillies, but Cruz answered with a lay-up off of a steal to end the quarter with the Lady Cats in front, 17-7.

Rocio Rodriguez drained a three from the right elbow to open the second quarter, but McNeese went coast-to-coast for a lay-up to make the score, 19-10, with 7:26 to play in the first half. Denver City went on a, 6- 1, scoring run the rest of the second quarter to cut the lead to, 20-16, going into the locker room at halftime.

McNeese opened the third quarter with a lay-up off of the assist from Gau, as she drew an and-one foul on Bella De la Rosa. She missed the free throw leaving the score, 22-16. McNeese followed it up with a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Cruz and Solis kept the rally going with a pull-up jumper from the left wing, off of the assist from Hanlin, making the score, 27-16, with 6:33 remaining in the third quarter.

Alyssa Jimenez split a pair of free throws for Denver City, but on the other end Amiah Elizondo was fouled on an attempt by Soto; she sank both shots at the line to extend the Littlefield lead to, 29-17, with 5:44 remaining in the quarter. Cruz drained a three from the left elbow and McNeese followed it up with a lay-up to stretch their lead to 34-17.

With 3:49 remaining in the quarter, Cruz was fouled on a fast-break attempt by Roberts. She made one-of-two shots at the line and Elizondo followed it up with a lay-up off of the assist from Bri Valdez in transition, making the score, 37-17, as Denver City took a time out with 3:25 left to play in the quarter.

Out of the break, Jazmin Barios dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from McNeese, as she drew an and one foul on Alexis Ornelas. She converted the free throw to extend the lead to, 40-17. With time winding down in the quarter, Gau went coast-to-coast for a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Jimenez. She missed the free throw, leaving the score, 42-17, heading into the final quarter of play.

Parker dropped in a lay-up in transition off of the assist from Hanlin to open the fourth quarter and Cruz knocked down a jumper from the left wing off of the assist from Gau, as the Fillies took a time out with 6:24 remaining in the game. Out of the break, Victoria Rodriguez dropped in a layup, drawing an and-one foul on parker. She converted the free throw, trimming the lead to, 46-20, with 6:14 remaining in the game.

Cruz answered with a jumper from the left wing, off of the assist from Solis to stretch the lead to, 48-20. The Fillies scored a lay-up off of a turnover, but on the other end, Gau was fouled on the floor by De la Rosa, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. She made one-of-two shots at the line, pushing their lead to 49-22.

Denver City scored again, as they took a time out with 2:25 left to play. Out of the break, Roberts drove the right baseline for a lay-up, but on the other end, Barios was fouled on the floor by Jimenz and split the free throws to make the score, 50-26.

Littlefield took a time out with 45 seconds remaining, but De La Rosa drained a three in the closing seconds, as Littlefield took down Denver City in their first district meeting of the season, 50-29.

The Lady Cats were led in scoring by McNeese, who netted 15 points, to go along with four rebounds, three steals and one assist. Cruz joined her in double-figures scoring with 14 points, to go along with five rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Barios tallied four points, three assists, one rebound and one steal, while Elizondo chipped in four points and three rebounds, and Parker contributed four points and two rebounds. Hanlin added four points, two rebounds and two assists, while Gau added three points, nine rebound, seven blocks, three assists and one steal and Solis contributed two points, one rebound and one assist.

Valdez added two rebounds and one assist in the contest.

The Lady Cats will open play at the Wildcat Classic monday eveining against the Olton Fillies.

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