Lady cats take two game lead in district 3-3A

The Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team picked up a big win over the Brownfield Lady Cubs, 56-38, at Wildcat Gymnasium on Tuesday to move into a twogame lead in District 3-3A.

Madison McNeese dropped in a lay-up in transition to open the contest, but Jaelyn Molina answered with a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Amiah Elizondo. She converted the free throw to give Brownfield a brief one-point advantage, but on the other end, Kyndal Edgemon was fouled on an attempt by Molina. She made one-of-two shots at the line to tie the game, 3-3, with 6:42 remaining in the opening quarter.

Arianna Cruz picked up a steal that led to a lay-up in transition for the Lady Cats, and on their next possession, Kennadi Hanlin picked up a steal and was fouled on an attempt by Molina. She converted both shots at the line to stretch their lead to, 7- 3. McNeese followed it up with a three from the left elbow, off of the assist from Cruz, as the Lady Cubs called a time out with 5:12 to play in the first, trailing, 10-3.

Out of the break, Edgemon knocked down a runner from the right side and on their next possession an offensive rebound by McNeese led to a lay- up, stretching their lead to, 14-3. Alliey Coffey ended the scoring drought for Littlefield with a layup off of an inbound play, but McNeese answered with a jumper from the right elbow off of the assist from Maerysa Saenz and Hanlin followed it up with a fast-break lay-up off of a steal to push their lead to, 18-5, with 2:10 to play in the quarter.

With under a minute to go in the quarter, Jaslyn Gomez drove the right side of the basket for a lay-up for Brownfield and at the buzzer, Kyndal Huerta was fouled on a three-point attempt by Jazmine Barrios. She made all three shots at the line to cut the lead to, 18-10, as the first quarter came to a close.

Edgemon opened the second frame with back-to-back lay-ups off of assists from McNeese and Cruz to stretch their lead to, 2210. After a missed free throw from Huerta, Edgemon dropped in a lay-up on the left side for Littlefield, off of the assist from Hanlin, pushing their lead to, 2410, as Brownfield called for a time out to talk things over with 6:18 remaining in the half.

Out of the break, Kayleigh Saldana dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Kaylynn Fininen, but McNeese answered with a steal and a quick jumper from the right elbow to make the score, 26-12. The Lady Cubs fired right back, as Amery Pauda buried a three from the right wing and on their next possession, Pauda was fouled on the floor by McNeese, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. She converted both shots to cut the lead to single-digits, 26-17.

Edgemon was fouled on an attempt by Molina and split the attempts at the line, and Hanlin followed it up with a lay-up in transition to give them a 12point lead, 29-17. With 2:48 to play in the half, Saldana dropped in a put-back and on their next possession, Pauda was fouled on an attempt by Hanlin. She made both shots at the line to make it an eight-point game, 2921, with 2:28 to play in the half.

Edgemon was fouled on a rebound by Huerta, earning a onein one opportunity at the line; she sank both free throws, but with time winding down in the half, Pauda was fouled on the floor by Cruz and split the attempts at the line, making the score, 31- 22, going into the locker room at halftime.

Edgemon and Hanlin each split a pair of free throws to open the second half and McNeese followed it up with a three from the top of the key to extend their lead to, 36-22, with 5:48 to play in the third quarter. Hanlin dropped in a lay-up in transition off of an assist from McNeese, but Brownfield answered, as Lucy Guzman went coast-tocoast for a lay-up, as the Lady Cubs called time out with 4:29 remaining in the quarter.

Out of the break, McNeese knocked down a jumper from the top of the key, but the Lady Cubs answered with back-toback buckets to cut the lead to, 40-28. With under a minute to go in the quarter, Coffey drew a block on Hanlin and split the free throws, trimming the lead to, 40-29. Edgemon split a pair of free throws for the Lady Cats, but Coffey closed out the third quarter with a lay-up to make it a 10-point game, 41-31, going into the final quarter of play.

McNeese drained a three from the left elbow, off of an assist from Cruz to open the fourth quarter and she followed it up with a jumper from the free-throw line, off of the assist from Hanlin to push their lead to, 46-31. After a pair of missed free throws from Fininen, Elizondo dropped in a lay-up and Edgemon followed it up with a lay-up off of the assist from McNeese, pushing their lead to, 50-31.

Brownfield took a time out and out of the break, Huerta was fouled on an attempt by McNeese; she split the free throws and Coffey followed it up with a lay-up to cut the lead to, 50- 34, with 2: 21 remaining. McNeese picked up a teal and took it to the hoop for a fastbreak lay- up, but Coffey answered with a lay- up on the other end to make the score, 5236.

McNeese converted a pair of free throws with under a minute to play, but on the other end, Huerta grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back up for a lay-up to make the score, 54-38. In the closing seconds, Danica Jouett was fouled on the floor by Huerta, who fouled out of the contest. She knocked down both shots at the line to make the score, 56-38, as Littlefield took down Brownfield at home.

McNeese led the team in scoring with 25 points, while Edgemon netted 14 points and Hanlin finished with 11 points. Cruz, Jouett and Elizondo each added two points in the contest.

The Lady Cats closed out the first half of district play on Friday with a road game against Dimmitt. Results were not available at press time. They will begin the second half of district play on Tuesday with a road game against Friona.

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