WILDCATS DROP NAIL-BITER AGAINST LAMESA, 53-51

The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team dropped a nailbiter to the Lamesa Golden Tornadoes on the road on Friday, 53-51.

With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 10-7 overall, 3-2 in district play. Senior forward, Tyree Jones, opened the contest with a putback off of his own miss and followed it up with a pass to senior forward, Chris Brown, for a lay-up on their next possession to extend their lead to, 4-0.

Lamesa took a time out with 6:25 remaining in the opening quarter, and out of the break, Alejandro Diaz dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Brown. He converted the free throw to make it a one-point game, 4-3. Diaz and Pedro Barrioz drained back-toback three’s for the Golden Tornadoes to give Lamesa their first lead of the game, 9-4.

Jones dropped in a lay-up off of the inbound pass from junior, Jordan Trevino, and on the following possession, Jones was fouled on an attempt by Marquis Rodriguez. Jones made one-of-two shots at the line, making the score, 9-7, with just over two minutes remaining in the quarter.

Jones dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Trevino to tie the game, 9-9, and with under a minute to play in the quarter, Jones scored a lay-up on a fifth chance try to put the Wildcats back in front, 11-9, as the first quarter came to a close.

Diaz sent a pass through traffic to Keeton Bolton, who finished the play with a lay-up to tie the game, 11-11, to open the second quarter. On their next possession, Diaz again found Bolton on a drive and dump for a lay-up, putting Lamesa back in front, 13-11.

Jones knocked down a jumper from the left elbow, but two plays later, Robert Dimas dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Shane Todd and Bolton followed it up with a three from the right wing to stretch the Lamesa lead to, 18-13, as the Wildcats took a time out with six minutes remaining in the half.

Out of the break, Salazar drove the lane for a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Diaz. The free throw was no good, leaving the score, 18-15, with just under six minutes to play in the half.

Jones tossed a no-look pass over his shoulder to a cutting Brown for a lay-up on the backside and on the following play, Salazar was fouled on the floor by Barrioz in the double bonus, earning a pair of free throws. He converted one-of-two at the line to tie the game, 18-18.

Salazar took a charge on Diaz and on the other end, junior forward, Ryan West was fouled on an attempt by Kobe Martinez. He converted both shots at the line to give the Wildcats a one-possession lead, 20-18. With just under four minutes to play in the half, Diaz dropped in a put-back and converted an and-one free throw to regain the lead for Lamesa, 21-20.

West scored a put-back off of a miss by Salazar and Jones followed it up with a lay-up to give the Wildcats a one-point advantage, 24-23, with 3:02 remaining in the half. Senior guard, Joseph Salinas, took a charge on Diaz and West followed it up with a lay-up off of an assist from Jones, but Luke Martinez drained a three from the left elbow to tie the game, 26-26, with 2:22 remaining in the second quarter.

With 2:12 left to play in the half, Salinas was fouled on the floor by Luke Martinez, as Lamesa took a time out to talk things over, out of the break, Salinas split the free throws, leaving the score, 27-26. Christian Ruiz took a charge on Jones, but West responded with a put-back off of his own miss for Littlefield, drawing an and-one foul on the play. He converted the free throw to make the score, 30-26, with 1:32 remaining in the half.

Bolton sank a three from the top of the key to bring Lamesa within one-point of Littlefield, but on the other end, West was fouled on a put-back attempt by Tristian Maxwell. He made one-out-of-two at the line to make it a two-point Littlefield lead, 31-29, heading into the locker room at halftime.

On their way off of the court, Lamesa was called for a technical foul and after the halftime break, West was on the line to shoot the technical free throws for Littlefield. He made one-of-two shots at the line to start the third quarter, making the score, 32-29.

Bolton split a pair of free throws after being fouled on a shot attempt by Trevino, but Brown answered with a three from the right wing over Diaz, pushing their lead out to five points, 35-30. With 5:43 remaining in the third quarter, junior wing, Ethan Garcia, drove the lane and dumped the ball off to Trevino for a lay-up, extending their lead out to seven points, 37-30.

Brown was fouled on an attempt by Maxwell and converted both shots at the line to stretch their lead to, 39-30, with 5:09 remaining in the quarter. The Wildcats took a time out with 3:22 left to play in the quarter and out of the break, Barrioz knocked down a three to end the scoring drought for Lamesa, trimming the lead to 39-33.

The Golden Tornadoes closed out the third quarter strong, as Bolton picked up a steal from Trevino and got it ahead to Barrioz for a lay-up in transition and Luke Martinez followed it up with a three from the left wing off of the assist from Diaz to close out the quarter, with the Littlefield lead sliced to just one point, 39-38.

Trevino knocked down a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Salazar to open the fourth quarter and Lamesa took a time out with 6:43 remaining in the game. Out of the break, Jones hit a cutting Brown for a lay-up, pushing their lead back out to 44-38.

Diaz dropped in a lay-up for Lamesa, but Brown answered with a put-back off of his own miss to make the score, 46-40. With 4:30 remaining, Dimas dropped in a layup for Lamesa off of the assist from Luke Martinez, but Littlefield answered again, as Jones scored a put-back off of the miss by senior, Caden Longoria, making the score, 48-42.

Lamesa took a time out with four minutes left to play in the game, and out of the break, Diaz picked up a steal and dropped in a lay-up for Lamesa, drawing an and-one foul on Salazar. The free throw was no good, leaving the score, 48-44. The Wildcats took a time out to talk things over with 3:30 remaining, and out of the break, Diaz drove the lane for a lay-up off of the assist from Bolton, trimming the lead to, 48-46.

With just under three minutes remaining, Diaz was fouled on an attempt by Longoria. He converted both shots to tie the game, 48-48, as Littlefield took a time out with 2:33 remaining in the game. Out of the break, Barrioz was fouled on the floor by Salinas, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. He converted both free throws to give Lamesa a, 50-48 lead with 1:23 remaining.

With under one minute to play in the game, Brown was fouled by Bolton and split a pair of free throws to make it a one-point game. Salinas took a charge on Diaz with 39.7 seconds remaining and Jones followed it up with a lay-up off of the assist from Salinas to make it a one-point Littlefield lead, 51-50.

The Wildcats took a time out with 26.8 seconds remaining and out ofthe break, Diaz buried a three from the left elbow to put Lamesa on top, 53-51. Littlefield had a chance to set something up, but they turned the ball over in the closing seconds, as they fell in their second meeting with the Golden Tornadoes.

Jones led the way for the Wildcats with 17 points, and he was joined in double figures by Brown, who netted 14 points and West, who finished with 11 points.

Trevino chipped in five points, while Salazar tallied three points and Salinas finished with one point in the contest.

The Wildcats hosted the Muleshoe Mules on Tuesday for their first meeting of the season. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season next Tuesday with a home game against Dimmitt.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.