The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team fell on the road on Tuesday to the Dimmitt Bobcats, 55-43.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 8-6 overall, 1-1 in district play.
Senior point guard, Jeremiah Salazar, was fouled on an attempt by Acqtavian Baty, earning a trip to the free-throw line to open the game for the Wildcats. He made one-of-two shots at the line to put the Wildcats up, 1-0.
CJ Willey answered with a layup on the other end for Dimmitt, and on the following play, Ivan Moreno was fouled on a shot attempt by senior forward, Chris Brown. Moreno converted both attempts at the line to put the Bobcats up, 4-1.
Senior forward, Tyree Jones, drove the baseline and threw down a reverse slam, and after a pair of missed free throw by junior, Jordan Trevino, Dimmitt took a time out with 2:31 remaining in the first quarter. Out of the break, Willey dropped in a lay-up to make it a three-point game, 6-3, but on the other end, Trevino was fouled on an attempt in the lane by Moreno. He made one-of-two shots at the line, making the score, 6-4, with just under two minutes remaining in the quarter.
With time winding down in the quarter, Moreno drained a three from the top of the key for the Bobcats to make the score, 9-4. With 2.1 seconds left in the quarter, the Bobcats rolled the ball out of the inbound, as Moreno picked up near half court and was able to dribble in and draw a shooting foul on senior guard, Joseph Salinas. He made good on both attempts at the line, making the score, 11-4, as the first quarter came to a close.
Kobe Carpio dropped in a lay-up to open the second quarter for Dimmitt, drawing an and-one foul on junior, Ryan West. He converted the free throw, stretching the Dimmitt lead to, 14-4, with just under seven minutes remaining in the first half.
Baty dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Jordan Garcia, as Littlefield took a time out with 5:27 remaining in the half, trailing the Bobcats, 16-4. Out of the break, Jones scored a put-back off of a miss by junior, Jaron Cabello, and on the next play, Jones faked a shot, passing it down low to junior, Ty’Jae Chambers, for a lay-up, trimming the lead to, 16-8, with 4:53 remaining in the half.
Chambers followed it up with another lay-up for the Wildcats, but Dimmitt answered, as Baty was fouled on the floor by Jones, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. He missed the first free throw, but Willey was there for the offensive rebound, drawing a foul on the put-back attempt on Chambers. Willey converted both free throws, pushing the Bobcat’s lead back out to, 18-10.
With 2:23 remaining in the half, Daunte Perez drove the baseline for Dimmitt and dumped the ball off to Baty for a lay-up, pushing the lead to double-digits, 20-10. on the following play, Willey was fouled on the floor by Salazar, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. He converted both free throws, stretching their lead to, 22-10.
Jones stopped the bleeding for Littlefield, as he dropped in a putback off of a miss by Chambers. Caden Longoria followed it up with a jumper from the left wing, but Dimmitt answered with just over 30 seconds to play, as Willey knocked down a short jumper from the left wing and Carpio drew a foul on Longoria with nine seconds to play in the half. He converted both free throws to make the score, 26-14, going into the locker room at halftime.
Carpio opened the second half with a jumper in the lane for Dimmitt, but Brown answered with a lay-up off of the assist from Jones, trimming the lead to, 28-16. Brown dropped in another lay-up off of the inbound pass from Trevino, and Salazar picked up a steal, taking it the other way for a quick lay-up, cutting the lead to single-digits, 28-20.
Baty scored a lay-up off of a Littlefield turnover to make it a 10-point game, as the Wildcats took a time out to talk things over. Out of the break, Brown dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Trevino and Jones followed it up with a drive to the basket for a layup, slicing the lead to six points, 30-24, as the Wildcats took another time out with 3:03 remaining in the quarter.
Out of the break, Baty buried a three from the right elbow and followed it up with a lay-up to push their lead back out to, 35-24. Moreno drained a three from the left elbow, as the Bobcats closed out the third quarter on an, 8-0, scoring run to take a, 38-24, lead into the final quarter of play.
Baty pump faked on the right wing to get Jones in the air, as he dribbled around him and knocked down a mid-range jumper to open the fourth quarter, stretching the Dimmitt lead to, 40-24.
On the other end, Jones dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on the play. After the play, Salazar was called for a technical foul. Jones missed the andone free throw, as Moreno went to the line to shoot free throws for Dimmitt He missed both free throws leaving the score, 40-26.
With 7:22 remaining in the contest, Garcia was fouled on an attempt by Longoria; he sank both free throws and Anthony Rodriguez followed it up with a deep three from the right elbow to push their lead out to, 45-26.
West took a charge on Gabriel Ontiveros, but the Wildcats were unable to capitalize on the turnover, as Baty rattled in a jumper to push their lead to 20 points, 47-26. Trevino scored a bucket in transition for Littlefield and Brown followed it up with a one-handed slam off of a steal, trimming the lead to, 47-30.
West took a charge on Ontiveros, who fouled out of the contest and Salinas split a pair of free throws, trimming the lead to, 47-31, with just under five minutes to play in the game.
Jones knocked down a fadeaway jumper in the lane, drawing an and-one foul on Garcia, but he missed the free throw leaving the score, 47-33. With just under four minutes remaining, Salinas buried a three to cut the lead to 11 points, as the Wildcats took a time out with 3:52 to play in the game.
Out of the break, Brown was fouled on an attempt by Baty; he made the first and missed the second, but Jones was able to tie up with Baty on the rebound for a jumpball. Baty answered on the other end with a lay-up, but on the other end, Chambers was fouled on an attempt by Moreno and he split a pair of free throws making the score, 49-38.
Dimmitt took a time out with 1:44 remaining and out of the break, Willey dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Moreno, making the score 51-38. Trevino knocked down a pair of free throws for Littlefield, but the Bobcats responded again, as Baty scored a put-back off of a miss by Perez.
Salinas knocked down another three for Littlefield, but Willey dropped in a lay-up in the closing seconds to close out the game for Dimmitt, as the Bobcats took the contest, 55-43.
Jones led the Wildcats in scoring with 12 points, while Brown chipped in nine points and Salinas finished with seven points. Trevino and Chambers each tallied five points, while Salazar added three points and Longoria finished with two points.
The Wildcats were at Brownfield on Friday to take on the Cubs. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Tuesday with a home game against Friona.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.