WILDCATS DROP HEART-BREAKER IN OT TO DIMMITT, 51-49

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  • CHIP GREEN - Littlefield Wildcats
    CHIP GREEN - Littlefield Wildcats
  • TYRELL NORMAN - Littlefield Wildcats
    TYRELL NORMAN - Littlefield Wildcats
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The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team dropped a nailbiter on Tuesday against Dimmitt in their district-opener, as they fell to the Bobcats in overtime, 51-49.

With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 6-12 overall, 0-1 in district play.

Littlefield applied the half court trap to open the game, as Omar Martinez came up with a steal that led to a fast-break lay-up to put the Wildcats in front, 2-0. Dimmitt took a time out to talk things over and out of the break, Jaron Cabello was fouled on an attempt by Conler Willey. He split the free throws, extending their lead to, 3- 0.

Chip Green buried a three from the right wing off of the assist from Tyrell Norman to push their lead to, 6-0, with 6:17 remaining in the first quarter. With just over six minutes left to play in the opening quarter, Willey was fouled on an attempt by Cabello. He made one-of-two shots at the line to get the Bobcats on the board, trailing the Wildcats, 6-1.

Martinez heaved a long pass down court that was saved by Norman, who bounced it to Green on the right elbow, as he drained the three to make the score, 9-1. With 5:39 left to play in the quarter, Willey was fouled on a putback attempt by Norman. He converted both free throws and followed it up with a lay-up to slice the lead to, 9-5.

Norman answered with a putback off of a miss by Cabello to stretch the lead back out to, 11-5, and Martinez followed it up with a pull-up jumper from the left elbow to extend the lead to, 13-5, with 3:22 left to play in the first. Emeliano Peralta was fouled on an attempt by Martinez and converted both free throws to trim the lead to, 13-7.

But, on the other end, Martinez fired a pass through traffic to Norman, who dropped in a lay-up to make the score, 15-7, but Dimmitt answered with a bucket from Willey to trim the lead to, 15- 9, with 2:30 remaining in the quarter.

Norman dropped in a lay-up on offense for the Wildcats and then took a charge on Willey, but with just over one minute to play in the quarter, Willey dropped in a layup and then with time winding down in the quarter, he dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Martinez. He missed the free throw, but Marcelo Lopez was there for the put-back to close out the quarter with the Wildcats in front by a possession, 17-15.

Littlefield took a time out with just over 30 seconds gone in the second quarter, and out of the break, Cabello fired a no-look pass to Norman for a lay-up to make it a four-point Wildcat lead, 19-15. With 3:46 left to play in the half, Peralta was fouled on the floor by Ryan West and split the free throws to make it a three-point game, 19-16.

Green responded for Littlefield with a three from the left elbow, off of the assist from MJ Randle, but Gabriel Ontiveros answered on the other end for Dimmitt with a put-back drawing an and-one foul on Ty’Jae Chambers. He converted the free throw to cut the lead to three points, 22-19, with 2:29 remaining in the half.

Willey knocked down a short jumper from the left elbow off of the assist from Ontiveros and followed it up with a lay-up, off of the assist from Ontiveros, giving Dimmitt their first lead of the game, 23-22. With under one minute to play in the half, Chambers dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Green, but at the buzzer, Jordan Garcia drained a three from the left corner to put the Bobcats up, 26- 24, going into the locker room at halftime.

Moreno dropped in a lay-up for Dimmitt to open the third quarter, and Raul Cadena was fouled on an attempt by Green, earning a trip to the line. He split the attempts, stretching the Dimmitt lead to, 29- 24, with 6:15 left to play in the third quarter. With under five minutes remaining in the quarter, Chambers was fouled on an attempt by Cadena. He converted both shots at the line, but Dimmitt quickly answered, as Cadena dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Peralta, making the score, 31-26.

Green hit Cabello on a cut to the basket for a lay-up, but again Willey answered with a lay-up and Daunte Perez followed it up with a lay-up off of a turnover by Martinez, stretching the Dimmitt lead back out to, 35-28, as Littlefield took a time out to talk things over with 3:25 remaining in the quarter.

Out of the break, Peralta dropped in a lay-up for Dimmitt, but Cabello knocked down a pull-up jumper from the free-throw line and was fouled on a second-chance threepoint shot on their next possession by Lopez. He converted all three shots to cut the lead to, 37- 33, with under one minute to play in the quarter.

Willey dropped in a lay-up and converted an and-one opportunity, but in the closing seconds of the quarter, Cabello drained a deep three from the left elbow, off of the assist from Ethan Garcia to make it a three-point game, 39-36, heading into the final quarter of play.

Perez opened the fourth quarter with a three from the left elbow, as Dimmitt took a time out to talk things over. Out of the break, Jordan Trevino took the ball to the hoop for a lay-up, but on the other end, Willey was fouled on an attempt by Norman. He split the free throws to extend their lead to, 43- 38, with 4:53 left to play in the game.

Cabello took a charge on Perez, as the Bobcats took a time out with 3:12 left to play. Out of the break, Garcia was fouled on the floor by Randle, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. He made one-of-two shots at the line, as Littlefield took a time out with 2:34 remaining.

Out of the break, Norman took the ball to the basket for a layup, off of an assist from Randle and Cabello followed it up with a three from the left elbow, making it a onepoint Dimmitt lead, as the Bobcats took a time out with 46.1 seconds to play in the game. Out of the break, Moreno was fouled on the floor by Martinez, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. He made one-of-two sots, as Norman pulled down the defensive rebound before Head Coach Rob Ogle called a time out to set up a final play.

Out of the break, Jordan Trevino was fouled on an attempt by Peralta; he sank both shots at the line to send the game into overtime, 45-45.

In overtime, Willey dropped in a lay-up to open things up, but Martinez went coast-to-coast for a Littlefield lay-up to keep the game tied, 47-47. With 2:15 remaining in the extra period, Moreno was fouled on a three-point attempt by Tyrell Norman, who fouled out of the contest. Moreno made two-of-three shots from the line, as Littlefield took a time out with 2:09 left to play.

Out of the break, Jordan Trevino picked up a steal and got it ahead to Martinez, who dropped in a layup to tie the game, 49-49. With 11.7 seconds left, Cadena was fouled on an attempt and converted both shots at the line to give the Bobcats a two-point advantage, 51-49. Dimmitt called a time out with 11.2 seconds left and after the Wildcats advanced the ball, they called a time out with 6.2 seconds remaining to set up one last play. Out of the break, Cabello got a quick look from the top of the key, but his shot was off the mark, as Littlefield fell to Dimmitt in their districtopener, 51-49.

Cabello led the team in scoring with 14 points and he was joined in double-figures scoring by Norman, who finished with 10 points.

Green tallied nine points, while Martinez chipped in eight points and Chambers and Jordan Trevino each finished with four points in the contest.

The Wildcats hosted Brownfield on Friday. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Tuesday with a road game against Friona.

Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.