Lady Cats grind out win over Lamesa, 34-26

The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team grinding out a win on the road on Friday over the Lamesa Lady Tornadoes, 3426, to improve to 2-0 in district play.

Madison McNeese was fouled on an attempt by Savannah Moreno to open the contest and made one-of-two shots at the line to put Littlefield in front, 1-0. She followed it up with a jumper from the left elbow to extend their lead to, 5-0, and a technical foul on Lamesa put Arianna Cruz on the line for two free throws. She sank both shots to push their lead to, 5-0.

Lamesa took a time out to prevent a turnover with 3:53 remaining in the opening quarter, and out of the break, Zoey Sifuentes took a charge on Kyndal Edgemon with 3:19 to play in the first. With time winding down in the quarter, Edgemon buried a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Maerysa Saenz to push their lead to, 8-0, but on the other end, Lamesa answered with a lay-up to make the score, 8-2.

With 0.3 seconds remaining in the quarter, Edgemon dropped in a lay-up and was fouled on the play by Mya Carrejo, earning an and-one opportunity at the line. She converted the free throw to stretch their lead to, 11-2, as the first quarter came to a close.

Saenz opened the second frame with a three from the left elbow for Littlefield, but Laila Vasquez fired back with a three of her own from the right wing to trim the lead to, 14-5, with 6:27 remaining in the first half.

With 5:22 to play in the half, Jazmine Barrios was fouled on a three-point attempt by Moreno. She two-of-three shots at the line and Kaeleigh Logan followed it up with a lay-up off of the assist over the top from Cruz to stretch their lead to, 18-5, with just under five minutes to play in the half.

Vasquez drained another three from the right wing for Lamesa to cut the lead to, 18-8, as Littlefield took a time out with 3:02 to play in the half. Out of the break, Vasquez stayed hot from beyond the arc, as she buried another three from the right elbow to make it a sevenpoint Littlefield lead, 18-11.

Saenz split a pair of free throws for the Lady Cats, but Vasquez sank another three from the right wing to cut the lead to, 19-14, going into the locker room at halftime.

Vasquez dropped in a lay-up on the right side to open the second half, but both buckets seemed to have lids on them in the third quarter, as both teams struggled to find the bottom of the net. Amiah Elizondo took a charge with 1:12 to play in the third and with time winding down in the quarter, Kennadi Hanlin drained a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Barrios to make the score, 22-16, going into the final quarter of play.

Lamesa took a time out with 6:43 to play in the game, and with 4:25 to play in the contest, Chrisalynn Uresti was fouled on the floor by McNeese; she made both ends of the one-in-one opportunity to make the score, 22-18. Edgemon and Hanlin drove the lane for back-to-back lay-ups for the Lady Cats and Littlefield took a time out with 3:01 to play, leading Lamesa, 26-18.

Out of the break, Saenz knocked down a jumper from the right elbow, but Lamesa answered, as De’Andra Flores dropped in a layup on the left side to trim the lead to, 28-20. Hanlin was fouled on a three-point attempt by Madison Derington and made one-of-three shots from the line, and on the other end, Vasquez was fouled on the floor by McNeese, who fouled out of the contest, as Vasquez went to the line for a one-in-one opportunity. Vasquez converted both shots to trim the lead to, 2922, with 1:04 remaining in the game.

Littlefield took a time out with 46.4 seconds to play, and two plays later, Hanlin was fouled on the floor, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. She converted both shots to extend their lead to, 31-22. With 22.6 seconds remaining, Fashaa Edwards was fouled on an attempt by Cruz and converted both free throws to cut the lead to, 31-24.

With time winding down, Hanlin split a pair of free throws, but Edwards answered with a lay-up to make it a six-point game, 32-26. Edgemon, though, would drop in a lay-up in the closing seconds, as Littlefield took the contest, 3426.

Edgemon led the Lady Cats in scoring with 10 points, while Hanlin finished with nine points, and Saenz chipped in six points. McNeese tallied three points, while Logan tallied two points and Cruz finished with two points. Barrios also finished with two points in the game.

The Lady Cats will resume action after Christmas when they host the Wildcat Classic. Their first round match-up will be Thursday evening against the Olton Fillies.

Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the main gym.