The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team fell short against the Hereford Lady Whitefaces on Tuesday, 52-40, at Wildcat Gym.
With the loss, the Lady Cats fall to 0-2 overall on the year.
Nayeli Acosta opened the scoring in the first quarter, as she knocked down a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Nickilah Whatley. Taytum Stow followed it up with a put-back to make it a, 5-0, scoring run for the Lady Whitefaces.
With 6:42 to play in the opening quarter, Miranda Acosta was fouled on an attempt by senior, Geyah Garza. She made one out of two free throws at the line to push their lead to, 6-0. Sophomore, Madison McNeese, brought the ball down court for Littlefield, dribbling up to the top of the key and draining a three to cut the lead in half, 6-3.
She followed it up with a pullup jumper from the left elbow to make it a one-point game, 6-5, with just over six minutes to play in the first quarter. With 4:52 left to play in the quarter, freshman, Kyndal Edgemon, spun to the basket and dropped in a floater, drawing an and-one foul on Lillie Skiles. She was whistled for a lane violation, leaving the Lady Cats in front, 7-6, with their first lead of the game.
Head Coach Teddy Duncan called a time out with 3:57 remaining in the quarter, and out of the break, junior, Ashtyn Parker, dropped in a lay-up off of a turnover by Hereford, as the Lady Whitefaces called for a time out to talk things over with 2:29 to play in the quarter.
Out of the break, Skiles dropped in a lay-up for Hereford, but McNeese answered with a strong take to the basket for a lay-up to close out the quarter with Littlefield in front, 11-8.
Junior, Brookelyn Gau, opened the second quarter with a pull-up jumper from the left baseline off of the assist from Garza, and Gau followed it up with a three from the right wing off of the assist from Garza, to stretch their lead to, 16-8.
Skiles got the Lady Whitefaces going in the second quarter with a three from the left elbow and Stow followed it up with a jumper in the lane off of the assist from Nayeli Acosta to cut the Littlefield lead to three points, 16-13.
With 4:38 left to play in the half, Stow dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Whatley to make it a one-point game, 16-15. But, on the other end, McNeese was fouled on a fast-break attempt by Nayeli Acosta. She converted both free throws to extend their lead back out to three points, 18-15, as the Lady Cats took a time out to talk things over.
Out of the break, McNeese buried a three from the right elbow off of the assist from junior, Emily Champion, but Miranda Acosta answered with a three from the top of the key for the Lady Whitefaces, making the score, 21-18, as they took a time out with 2:59 remaining.
Skiles took a charge on McNeese and Hereford capitalized on the turnover, as Miranda Acosta was fouled on an attempt by McNeese on the following play. She converted both free throws to cut the lead to one point, 21-20.
With under one minute remaining in the half, Nayeli Acosta buried a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Miranda Acosta and Lacey Davis closed out the half with a put-back to put Hereford in front by four points, 25-21, heading into the locker room at halftime.
Littlefield opened the third quarter with a steal in the halfcourt by Garza, who got it ahead to McNeese on the fast break for a quick lay-up, trimming the lead to, 25-23.
Skiles knocked down a short jumper in the lane and Whatley followed it up with a three from the left wing to push their lead to six points, 29-23. Miranda Acosta used a euro step to get past McNeese in the lane for a lay-up to extend their lead to, 31-23, with 5:29 to play in the third quarter.
Garza was fouled on an attempt by Whatley with 5:09 to play in the quarter. She converted both free throws, making the score, 31-25. Skiles hit Davis on aback-door cut for a lay-up and Nayeli Acosta drove the left baseline for another Hereford lay-up, pushing their lead out to, 35-25.
Skiles buried a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Nayeli Acosta, as Coach Duncan called a time out to try and slow Hereford’s momentum with 3:01 left in the quarter.
Out of the break, Skiles pulled up for a jumper from the right elbow, but on the other end with under one minute to play, McNeese was fouled on a putback attempt by Katelin Soto. She split the free throws, trimming the lead to, 40-26, as the third quarter came to a close.
Miranda Acosta drained a three from the top of the key to open the fourth quarter for Hereford, and on their next possession, Skiles hit Whatley under the basket for a lay-up, to extend their lead to, 45-26.
McNeese answered with a deep three from the right elbow off of the assist from Garza, as Coach Duncan took a time out to talk things over, trailing the Lady Whitefaces, 45-29.
Out of the break, Whatley scored a put-back off of the miss by Miranda Acosta making the score, 47-29. Gau picked up a steal, taking it the other way for a Littlefield lay-up and a poke away by Garza on the next play was picked up by Champion, as she dished it ahead to Garza, who was fouled on the shot attempt by Skiles. She converted both free throws to cut the lead to, 47-33, with 3:37 left to play in the game.
Gau picked up another steal and got it ahead to McNeese for a layup and McNeese followed it up with a dribble-up three from the top of the key to slice the lead to, 47-38, with just under two minutes remaining.
Nayeli Acosta was fouled on the floor by Gau, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. She made the first and missed the second, as the ball went out of bounds off of Hereford. With just over one minute to play, McNeese was fouled on the floor by Nayeli Acosta, who picked up her fourth foul of the game. McNeese converted both free throws to make it an eight-point game, 48-40.
Nayeli Acosta closed out the game with four made free throws to ice the game for Hereford, as Littlefield fell to the Lady White-faces, 52-40.
McNeese led the team in scoring with 25 points, while Gau netted seven points and Garza chipped in four points.
Edgemon and Parker each finished with two points.
The Lady Cats hosted Abernathy on Friday and traveled to Dumas on Saturday. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Tuesday with a road game against Floydada.
Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m.