Lady Cats take down Friona, 74-43

The Littlefield Lady Cats varsity basketball team cruised past the Friona Squaws on the road on Tuesday afternoon, 74-43. With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 16-6 overall, 5-0 in district play.

Aaliyah Padilla opened the contest with a lay-up for Friona, but with 6:21 to play in the opening quarter, Amiah Elizondo dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Yaselene Faudoa. She missed the free throw leaving the game tied, 2-2. Marysa Saenz was fouled on a put-back attempt by Reese Steelman and converted both shots at the line to put the Lady Cats in front, 4-2.

Kennadi Hanlin followed it up with a jumper from the right elbow and on their next possession, she was fouled on a three-point attempt by Lexi Saldana. She made one-of-three shots from the line to stretch the lead to, 7-2, with 4:45 remaining in the quarter. Caydee Humphrey dropped in a putback off of her own miss for Friona, but Ari Castillo answered with a layup off of the assist from Jazmine Rosalez to push the lead to, 9-4.

Hanlin took a charge on padilla on the defensive end, and the Lady Cats followed it up on the offensive end, as Castillo dropped in a lay-up off of the inbound from Saenz, stretching the lead to, 11-4. The Lady Cats kept the offense going, as Rosalez hit Castillo in transition for a lay-up, but Padilla answered on the other end for the Squaws to stop the bleeding, trimming the lead to, 13-6, with 2:39 left to play in the first quarter.

Padilla dropped in a lay-up off of a steal in their own end of the floor, but with under two minutes to play in the quarter, Rosalez heaved a long pass down court to Danica Jouett, who dropped in the lay-up in transition to make the score, 15-8. With under a minute to go in the quarter, Cali Saldana was fouled on an attempt by Stephani Cruz. She converted both shots at the line, but on the other end, Padilla was fouled on an attempt by Jouett. She made the first and the second was waived off due to a lane violation on the Squaws, making the score, 17-9.

With time winding down in the quarter, Jouett dropped in a lay-up, pushing their lead to, 19-9, as the first quarter came to a close.

Padilla was fouled on an attempt by Saenz to open the second frame; she converted both free throws to make the score, 19-11, but on the other end, Rosalez drove the lane, bouncing a pass toArianna Cruz for a lay-up and Castillo followed it up with a putback off of a miss by Kennadi Hanlin to stretch their lead back out to, 23-11, with 6:32 to play in the first half.

Rosalez drove the right side of the basket for a lay-up, but Padilla answered with a floater in the lane for Friona, trimming the lead to, 25-13. Castillo dropped in a put-back off of a miss byArianna Cruz andArianna Cruz followed it up with a three from the left wing off of the assist from Rosalez, extending their lead to, 30-13, with 5:15 to play in the half.

Hanlin took a charge on Padilla and Nevaeh Esquibel dropped in a lay-up on the offensive end off of an assist from Cali Saldana, making the score, 32-13. With 4:20 left to play in the half, Cali Saldana dropped in a lay-up off of a friona turnover, but on the next play, Faudoa was fouled on an attempt by Arianna Cruz, earning a trip to the free-throw line. She made oneof- two shots from the line to make the sore, 34-14.

Esquibel drove the middle for a layup, as Friona took a time out with 3:24 left to play in the half. Out of the break, Castillo drained a three from the left elbow off of an assist from Cali Saldana and with under two minutes to go in the half, Castillo hit Rosalez with an outlet pass for a lay-up on the fast-break, pushing their lead to, 4114. Padilla was fouled on the floor by Castillo, earning a trip to the line and she sank both free throws, trimming the lead to, 41-16, going into the locker room at halftime.

Elizondo opened the second half with a lay-up off of an assist from Castillo, but Padilla answered with a lay-up in transition and Faudoa followed it up with a three from the top of the key to cut the lead to, 45-21, with 4:32 left to play in the third. Arianna Cruz faked a pass to her right as she drove to the basket for a layup, but on the other end, Padilla was fouled on an attempt by Jouett. She converted both shots at the line to make the score, 45-23.

Rosalez was fouled on an attempt by Lexi Saldana and sank both shots at the free-throw line to extend the Littlefield lead to, 47-23, with 3:48 to play in the third. Faudoa drove the right side for a lay-up for Friona and on the next play, Padilla was fouled on an attempt by Hanlin, who picked up her third foul of the game. She made one-of-two shots from the line, trimming the lead to, 47-26.

Arianna Cruz dropped in a lay-up on the fast-break off of a long pass from Castillo and on the next play, Arianna Cruz was fouled on a putback attempt by Padilla, who picked up her third foul of the game. She split the attempts at the line, pushing the lead to, 50-26.

Castillo dropped in a lay-up off of the inbound pass from Rosalez and Saenz knocked down a jumper from the left wing off of the assist from Rosalez, stretching the lead to, 54-26. With under two minutes to play in the quarter, Castillo picked up a steal getting it to Arianna Cruz on the two-onone break for a lay-up, stretching the lead to, 56-26.

Castillo picked up a steal in their own end and drove to the basket for a lay-up and Arianna Cruz followed it up with a lay-up off of a Squaw’s turnover, pushing the lead to, 60-26. Friona took a 30-second time out with 1:13 left to play in the quarter and out of the break, Stephani Cruz dropped in a lay-up for Friona to make the score, 60-28.

Cruz split a pair of free throws with under a minute to go in the quarter and with time winding down, Friona knocked down a jumper to make the score, 61-30, going into the final quarter of play.

Padilla opened the fourth quarter with a lay-up for Friona, but Castillo answered on the other end with a layup off of the assist from Arianna Cruz to make the score, 63-32. Friona dropped in a bucket and called a quick time out with 7:23 to play in the game. Out of the break, Humphrey dropped in a lay-up for the Squaws, but Esquibel answered with a floater in the lane, making the score, 65-36.

Rosalez knocked down a runner in the lane, but Friona answered with a bucket on the other end and the squaws followed it up with a lay-up fromHumphreyandathreefromPadilla to cut the lead to, 67-43, with 2:33 to play in the game. Arianna Cruz was fouled on an attempt by Padilla, who picked up her fourth foul of the game. She split the free throws, but Hanlin followed it up with a lay-up and Saenz knocked down a jumper from the left wing to push the lead to, 74-43, as the Lady Cats closed out the Squaws on the road.

The Lady Cats were led by Castillo, who posted a double-double with 22 points and 16 rebounds, to go along with seven steals and three assists. Cruz joined her in double-figures scoring with 18 points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists.

Rosalez tallied eight points, seven assists, four rebounds and four steals, while Nevaeh Esquibel chipped in six points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal, and Saenz contributed six points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Elizondo tallied four points, one re-bound, one assist and one steal, while Hanlin chipped in four points, five rebounds and three steals. Jouett added four points, six rebounds, one assist and one steal, while Saldana finished with two points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals.

The Lady Cats hosted Muleshoe on Friday to close out the first half of district play. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Tuesday when they host the Denver City Fillies.

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