Wildcats blast Friona, 85-23

The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team cruised past Friona on Friday to an, 85-23, as they look to finish the regular season strong heading into the postseason.

With the win, the Wildcats improve to 17-12 overall, 9-2 in district play.

Jeremiah Trevino opened the contest with a lay-up off of an assist from Chip Green and Green followed it up with a lay-up in transition off of an assist from Ryan Williams to extend their lead to, 40. Trevino dropped in a lay-up off of an assist form Elijah Salazar to make it a, 6-0, scoring run for the Wildcats, but Justen Trevino got the Chieftains on the board with a turnaround jumper in the lane to trim the lead to, 6-2, with 5:08 remaining in the opening quarter.

Trevino dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Ryan Williams and he followed it up with another take to the basket for a lay-up, this time, drawing an and-one foul on Stef Ally. He missed on the andone opportunity, extending the lead to, 10-2, with 4:06 remaining in the quarter. MJ Randle hit Trevino with a no-look pass for a lay-up, as Friona took a time out to talk things over with 3:33 to play in the first.

Out of the break, Randle buried a three from the right elbow, off of an assist from Omar Martinez, but Justen Trevino answered with a three from the top of the key to cut the lead to, 15-5. Ja’Den Williams dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Q Busby, and followed it up with a pull-up in the lane to make the score, 19-5, with 1:43 remaining in the quarter. With under one minute to play in the first, Martinez drained a deep three from the left elbow, off of an assist from Ja’Den Williams, pushing their lead to, 22-5.

With time winding down in the quarter, Trevino sank a three from the top of the key off of an assist from Martinez, but in the closing seconds of the quarter, Justen Trevino was fouled on an attempt and made both free throws to make the score, 25-7, as the first quarter came to a close.

Ryan Williams buried a three from the right wing off of an assist from Green to open the second quarter, and Salazar dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Zeke Saenz to extend their lead to, 30-7. With 6:40 to play in the half, Ryan Williams dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Martinez, and on the next play, Saenz sent the outlet pass down court to Ryan Williams, who then dished it to Martinez on the fast-break for a lay-up, pushing their lead to, 34-7, with 6:11 to play in the game.

Green dropped in a lay-up off of a steal in their own end and on their next possession, Saenz was fouled on an attempt by Justen Trevino; he made one-of-two shots at the line to stretch the lead to, 37-7. With 5:34 to play in the half, Green picked up a steal and got it ahead to Martinez, who got it to Ryan Williams for a lay-up, making the score, 39-7.

Martinez buried a three from the left elbow and on the next play, Saenz grabbed an offensive rebound and dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Salazar, stretching the lead to, 44-7. Justen Trevino drov the left baseline for a lay-up to end the scoring drought for Friona, but Martinez answered with a three from the left elbow to push their lead to, 47-9, with 3:52 remaining in the half.

Bryer Stanberry dropped in another bucket for Friona, but Salazar answered with a three from the left elbow, making the score, 50-11, with 3:08 remaining in the half. Justen Trevino drained a three for the Chieftains from the right wing, and Brice Jeter knocked down a three from the right wing off of an assist from Johnny Gonzalez, cutting the lead to, 50-17, with 1:41 to play in the half.

After a Friona time out, Ja’Den Williams was fouled on the floor by Jeter and split the free throws to make the score, 51-17, going into the locker room at halftime.

Busby hit a cutting Green for a lay-up to open the second half and Randle dropped in a lay-up on the left side to make the score, 55-17. With 3:50 to play in the third quarter, Saalzar hit Martinez on a backdoor cut for a lay-up to make the score, 57-17. Saenz was fouled on an attempt byAlly and split the free throws and the Wildcats followed it up with a three from the top of the key from Salazar off of an assist from Ryan Williams and a fast-break lay-up by Trevino to extend their lead to, 63-17. Gonzalez closed out the quarter with a layup on the left side, making the score, 63-19, going into the final quarter of play.

Busby split a pair of free throws to open the fourth quarter for the Wildcats and on their next possession, Ja’Den Williams grabbed an o board and dropped in a floater in the lane, to stretch their lead to, 66-19. Ja’Den Williams grabbed another offensive rebound and dropped in a lay-up on the right side, before being fouled by Jameson Daniels with 6:36 to play in the game. He converted the free throw to push the Littlefield lead to, 69-19.

Randle knocked down a jumper in the lane off of an assist from Ja’Den Williams and Green followed it up with a reverse lay-up to push the score to, 73-19, with just under five minutes to play in the game. Randle took a charge on Gonzalez and the Wildcats capitalized on the turnover, as Martinez knocked down a three from the right elbow off of an assist from Ryan Williams with 4:04 left to play.

Trevino knocked down a three from the left elbow and followed it up with a steal on the defensive end, getting it ahead to Martinez for a lay-up in transition to extend the lead to, 81-19. Green dropped in a fast- break lay- up, but Stanberry dropped in back-to-back buckets for the Chieftains, before Ryan Williams hit Martinez on a back-door cut for a lay-up to close out the game with Littlefield taking the contest, 85-23.

Martinez led the team in scoring with 20 points, while Trevino netted 19 points, and Green finished with 10 points. Salazar, Randle and Ja’Den Williams each tallied eight points, while Ryan Williams chipped in seven points and Saenz added four points.

Busby finished with one point in the contest.

The Wildcats had a show down with Lamesa on Tuesday for the number one seed in District 3-3A. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season in the Class 3A Bi-District round of the play-offs next week. Details are TBA.