The Littlefield Lady Cats’ throttled the Kermit Yellow Jackets, 88-41, on Thursday evening at the DAG in Denver City to claim the 3A Region I Bi-district trophy.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 12-7 overall on the season.
Karisa Espino scored a put-back off of a miss by Stevi Gordon to open the contest for Kermit, but on the next play, senior guard, Geyah Garza, picked up a steal and was fouled on the fast-break by Marissa Davila. She made one-of-two shots at the line to make the score, 2-1, with just over five minutes remaining in the opening quarter
Ġarza followed it up with a put-back off of a miss by sophomore, Madison McNeese, giving Littlefield their first lead of the game, 3-2. Kermit quickly regained the lead, as Reagan Armstrong dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Espino, making the score, 4-3. Davila followed it up with a lay-up to make it a three-point Yellowjacket lead, 6-3, but on the other end, Garza was fouled on a fast-break attempt by Adriana Vasquez. She split the attempts at the line, trimming the lead to, 6-4.
With 2:33 left to play in the first quarter, junior wing, Brookelyn Gau, drove the lane and kicked the ball out to Garza, who knocked down a jumper from the left wing to tie the game, 6-6. Littlefield took a time out with 2:10 remaining in the quarter, and out of the break, McNeese drew a blocking foul on Galindo, earning a trip to the line. She converted both attempts at the free-throw line to regain the lead for the Lady Cats, 8-6.
Freshman, Arianna Cruz, picked up a steal and got it ahead to McNeese, who knocked down a jumper from the right wing and she followed it up with a lay-up off of a steal to stretch their lead to, 12-6. Cruz was fouled on an attempt by Adriana Olivas with 1:17 to play in the quarter. She split the free throws and Kermit took a time out with just under one minute to play in the first quarter. Out of the break, Cruz knocked down a jumper from the right elbow off of the assist from Gau to make the score, 15-6, heading into quarter number two.
Gordon opened the second quarter with a fast-break lay-up for Kermit, but Garza answered with a lay-up of her own for the Lady Cats, as the Yellow Jackets took a time out with 7:04 remaining in the first half. Out of the break, Cruz grabbed a defensive rebound and went coast-to-coast, drawing a shooting foul on Espino. She converted both free throws to make the score, 18-8, with 6:17 to play in the half.
Monika Leyva dropped in a lay-up in transition and Gordon followed it up with a lay-up off of a steal to cut the lead to, 18-12. But, freshman, Kennadi Hanlin drove the lane and kicked the ball out to Garza, who buried a three from the right elbow to extend their lead back out to, 21-12, with 5:41 remaining in the first half.
Gordon was fouled on a shot attempt by Cruz and split the free throws, but on the other end, Gau was fouled on the floor by Olivas, earning a onein-one opportunity at the line. She converted both free throws to make the score, 23-13, with 5:11 remaining in the half. Gordon knocked down both shots on a one-in-one opportunity after being fouled on the floor by Hanlin and Davila split a pair of free throws after drawing a foul on junior, Ashtyn Parker, making the score, 23-16.
With 4:11 remaining in the half, the Lady Cat defense forced a five-second call on the inbound play, to regain possession, but they were unable to capitalize, as Armstrong was fouled on the floor by Hanlin, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. She split the attempts, trimming the lead to, 23-17.
Gau converted a pair of free throws for Littlefield and the Lady Cats’ full court press forced a 10 second call on Kermit, giving them an extra possession with 3:38 to play in the half. Garza drove to the basket and kicked the ball out to Cruz, who buried a three from the right elbow and on the next play, Garza was fouled on the floor by Davila, earning a pair of free throws. She split the attempts pushing their lead back out to, 29-17.
McNeese buried a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Gau and she followed it up with a floater in the lane to push their lead out to, 34- 17. Gordon converted a pair of free throws for Kermit and Vasquez followed it up with a lay-up in transition to cut the lead to, 34-21, but McNeese answered with a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Vasquez. She missed the free throw leaving the score, 36-21
Ḋavila dropped in a lay-up for the Yellow Jackets, but Cruz answered with a three from the right elbow and Gau followed it up on their next possession with an offensive rebound and put-back, making the score, 41-23. With under one minute remaining in the half, Garza dropped in a lay-up off of a steal in their own end to push their lead out to 20 points, 43-23.
The Lady Cats continued to pour it on, as Cruz knocked down a jumper from the right wing off of the assist from Gau and in the closing seconds of the half, Gau was fouled on the floor by Davila. She converted both free throws to close out the first half with the Lady Cats in front, 47-23.
Littlefield opened the third quarter with an outlet pass from McNeese, that found junior guard, Emily Champion, who finished off the break with a lay-up to extend their lead to, 49-23. Gordon knocked down a jumper from the right elbow and then dropped in a turnaround lay-up in transition, before knocking down a three from the top of the key to cut the lead to, 49-30.
With just over five minutes to play in the third quarter, McNeese drained a three from the left wing, off of the assist from Gau and followed it up with a lay-up off of a steal to stretch their lead back out to, 54-30. McNeese dropped in a lay-up with 4:12 remaining in the quarter, drawing an andone foul on the play. She converted the free throw and on their next possession, Garza hit a cutting McNeese for a lay-up, pushing their lead out to, 59-30.
With just over three minutes to play in the quarter, McNeese dropped in a lay-up off of a Kermit turnover, as the Yellow Jackets took a time out with 2:49 remaining in the third quarter. Out of the break, Garza went coast-to-coast for a lay-up and followed it up with another drive to the basket for a layup, extending their lead to, 65-30.
McNeese knocked down a pull-up jumper from the right wing and McNeese followed it up with a jumper from the left elbow, making the score, 69-30. Gordon buried a three from the top of the key to end the scoring drought for Kermit and with under one minute to play in the quarter, Maria Froese was fouled on an attempt by McNeese; she split the free throws making the score, 69-34, heading into the final quarter of play.
Armstrong was fouled on an attempt by Parker to open the third quarter; she split the free throws to trim the lead to, 69-35, but McNeese answered with a pull-up jumper from the right elbow to stretch their lead to, 71- 35. Champion dropped in a lay-up on a fast-break and McNeese hit Parker with an outlet pass for a lay-up, pushing their lead to, 75-35.
McNeese buried a three from the left wing and on the next play, she passed the ball inside to Mahalia Huey, who was fouled on an attempt by Leyva. She made one-of-two shots at the line, making the score, 79-35. Espino dropped in a lay-up for Kermit, but Gau answered with a three from the top of the key, pushing their lead to, 82-37.
Froese scored a lay-up for Kermit, but Hanlin answered with a lay-up in transition, but with 1:20 remaining, Espino was fouled on the floor by Huey and converted both free throws to make the score, 84-41. With time winding down in the contest, Zoe Garcia converted a pair of free throws and Gau closed out the game with a layup to make the score, 88-41 as the clock hit triple zeros.
“Ultimately everybody understands the position we are in right now. They understand that everyone is after the same thing,” Head Coach Teddy Duncan said. “We all knew it was going to be key for multiple people to step up for us. We got in foul trouble early, both Madi and Emily had to sit down early and Arianna came up big off of the bench. It was her first time scoring in double-figures and she picked the right time to do it.”
She added, “Madi and Geyah have been big for us all year, Brookelyn has been big for us all year. With Geyah being a senior, I think she just understands the importance of her stepping up and having a big game. Madi has embraced that role as a leader on the team and she too stepped up big for us.”
McNeese led all scorers with 34 points and was joined in double-figures scoring by Garza, who netted 20 points, Cruz, who chipped in 12 points and Gau who added 11 points in the contest.
Champion tallied four points, while Hanlin, Parker and Garcia each added two points and Huey finished with one point in the contest.
The Lady Cats will play #1 Shallowater on Tuesday at Coronado High School in the 3A Area round of the basketball play-offs.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.