LADY CATS FALL TO LADY CUBS, 73-38

The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team dropped their first district meeting of the season against the Brownfield Lady Cubs, 73-38.

With the loss, the Lady Cats fall to 5-6 overall, 4-1 in district play.

Gabi Fields opened the game with a jumper from the left wing and Tia Johnson followed it up with up lay-up off of the give-and-go from Deja Johnson, stretching their lead to, 5-0, with 6:41 remaining in the opening quarter.

Fields drove the lane and kissed the ball high off of the glass for a lay-up making the score, 6-0, as the Lady Cats took a time out with 5:50 remaining in the first quarter. Out of the break, Deja Johnson dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Tia Johnson and followed it up with a jumper from the top of the key, pushing their lead out to, 10-0, with 4:47 remaining in the quarter.

Lindsey Herrera hit Deja Johnson for a lay-up, as she drew an and-one foul on junior Brookelyn Gau. She converted the free throw to extend their lead to, 13-0. Sophomore, Madison McNeese, heaved a long pass down court to senior guard, Geyah Garza, who buried a three from the right wing to get the Lady Cats on the board, trimming the lead to, 13-3.

Brownfield responded, as Deja Johnson hit Tia Johnson for a layup and Fields followed it up with a lay-up in transition to push the lead out to, 17-3, with 2:43 remaining in the quarter. Dabria Blackwell drained a three from the right wing off of the assist from Fields, and Fields followed it up with a three of her own from the top of the key, off of the assist from Brianne Franco to make the score, 23-3.

Freshman, Kyndal Edgemon, dropped in a put-back off of the miss by McNeese, but Ashley Ramirez closed out the quarter with a three from the left wing off of the assist from Blackwell, making the score, 26-5, as the first quarter came to a close.

Garza was fouled on a put-back attempt by Ramirez to open the second quarter. She sank both free throws to trim the lead to, 26-7. McNeese banked in a runner off the glass, but Fields answered with a mid-range jumper in the lane off of the assist from Tia Johnson, making the score, 28-9. With 5:20 remaining in the quarter, Edgemon dropped in a lay-up on the right side, but Fields responded with a three from the left wing off of the assist from Deja Johnson, making the score, 31-11.

Garza drained a three from the top of the key for Littlefield, but Brownfield answered again, as Herrera knocked down a deep jumper from the left wing and Tia Johnson followed it up with a layup, drawing an and-one foul on Gau, who picked up her third foul of the half. She converted the free throw, stretching their lead to, 36-14.

With just over three minutes remaining in the half, Tia Johnson was fouled on a put-back attempt by McNeese; she converted both shots at the line, extending their lead to, 38-14. On the other end, junior guard, Emily Champion, was fouled on a fast-break attempt by Herrera. She split the free throws and Garza followed it up with a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Mahalia Huey, trimming the lead to, 38-18, with 1:23 remaining in the half. In the closing seconds, Tia Johnson dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Leilani Solis. She converted the free throw sending the Lady Cubs into the half in front of Littlefield, 41-18.

McNeese opened the second half with a jumper from the left elbow, but Tia Johnson responded with a jumper from the top of the key for Brownfield, making the score, 43-20. McNeese answered again for the Lady Cats, as she knocked down a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Garza, making the score, 43-23.

With 5:26 remaining in the third quarter, Tia Johnson knocked down a jumper from the right wing and on the following play, Deja Johnson was fouled on an attempt by junior, Ashtyn Parker. She converted both free throws, making the score, 47-23.

Garza knocked down a jumper from the left elbow off of the assist from Parker, but Fields answered with a three from the left wing to push the Lady Cubs’ lead out to 25 points. Franco dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Herrera and Blackwell followed it up with a transition lay-up off of the assist from Herrera, pushing their lead to, 54-25.

Edgemon dropped in a lay-up for Littlefield, but Herrera responded with back-to-back layups for Brownfield making the score, 58-27. Deja Johnson took a charge on Garza and Franco closed out the quarter with a layup for the Lady Cubs, making the score, 60-27, going into the final quarter of play.

Fields opened the fourth quarter with a runner from the right side, but Edgemon, on the other end, backed down the defense for a lay-up off of the assist from McNeese, trimming the lead to, 62-29. Franco scored a lay-up off of the assist from Fields and Fields heaved an outlet pass down court to Franco for another quick layup, extending their lead to, 66-29.

Herrera knocked down a midrange jumper from the left elbow and the Lady Cats took a time out to talk things over with 4:21 remaining in the game. Out of the break, McNeese dropped in a layup off of the assist from Huey, but on the other end, Ramirez was fouled on an attempt by Champion. She converted both attempts at the line, making the score, 70-31.

McNeese scored a put-back off of her own miss, but on the other end, Blackwell was fouled on an attempt by Champion; she converted one-of-two shots at the line, making the score, 71-33, with 1:48 left to play in the game. Freshman, Arianna Cruz, drained a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Mahalia Huey, but Deja Johnson answered with a lay-up for Brownfield making the score, 73-36.

With time winding down in the game, McNeese was fouled on a three-point attempt by Franco; she made two-out-of-three at the line, as the Lady Cats fell to the Lady Cubs, 73-38.

McNeese and Garza let the team in scoring with 13 points apiece, while Edgemon chipped in eight points and Cruz added three points. Champion finished with one point in the contest.

The Lady Cats hosted Friona on Tuesday to close out the first half of district play. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Friday with a road game at Lamesa.

Tip-off is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.