The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team took down the Denver City Mustangs, 48-32, on Friday in their first meeting of the season.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 12-8 overall, 5-3 in district play.
Mario Sanchez got the game going for the Mustangs, as he drew a shooting foul on senior, Caden Longoria. Sanchez converted both free throws to give Denver City a brief lead, but on the other end, senior forward, Tyree Jones, caught the outlet pass from senior forward, Chris Brown, and used a euro-step to get to the basket for a lay-up, tying the game, 2-2.
Carson Little scored a put-back off of the miss by Anthony Anderson, but Longoria answered with a three from the left wing off of the assist from Brown, putting the Wildcats in front, 5-4. Brown scored a put-back off of a miss by junior guard, Jordan Trevino, and followed it up with a lay-up off of the assist from Jones to stretch their lead to, 9-4.
With under one minute to play in the opening quarter, Jones drove the lane and dumped the ball off to Trevino for a lay-up to make the score, 11-4. Brown dropped in a lay-up at the buzzer off of the assist from Trevino, making the score, 13-4, heading into quarter number two.
Anderson opend the second quarter with a lay-up in transition for the Mustangs, but senior point guard, Jeremiah Salazar, drove the lane for Littlefield and dumped the ball offto Brown fora lay-up, pushing their lead back out to, 15-6.
With 4:12 remaining in the first half, Brown dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Jones and Jones followed it up with a lay-up off of an assist from Longoria, pushing their lead out to, 19-6.
Spencer Freeman dropped in a lay-up for the Mustangs to end the scoring drought, but Salazar answered with a jumper from the free-throw line, off of the asssit from Longoria, making the score, 21-8.
With under two minutes to play in the half, Sanchez picked up a steal from Salazar and took it to the hoop for a fast-break lay-up, trimming the lead to, 21-10. Jones hit Brown for a lay-up and followed it up with a lay-up of his own off of the assist from junior wing, Ethan Garcia, stretching the lead to, 25-10, heading into the locker room at halftime.
Jones opened the second half with a lay-up off of the assist from Trevino, but Anderson answered with a short jumper in the lane for the Mustangs to make the score, 27-12. Brown dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Trevino, but Anderson again answered for Denver City with a three from the left wing, making the score, 29-15, with 5:12 remainig in the third quarter.
Ashton Galvan took a charge on Jones and then knocked down a turnaround jumper in the lane to trim the lead to, 29-17, as the Wildcats took a time out with 3:18 remaining in the quarter.
Out of the break, junior guard, Jaron Cabello, drained a jumper from the left wing off of the assist from junior forward, Ryan West and Brown drew a shooting foul on Enrique Banuelas, earning a trip to the line. He knocked down both free throws to extend their lead to, 33-17.
Trevino took a charge on Galvan and the Wildcats took a time out with 32.9 seconds remaining in the quarter. Out of the break, Trevino knocked down a corner three from the right side off of the assist from Salazar, but Galvan buried a three from the left elbow at the buzzer, making the score, 36-20, heading into the fmal quarter of play.
Freeman opened the fourth quarter with a three from the right wing and Little followed it up with a put-back off of the miss by Galvan to cut thelead to, 36-25. Salazar buried a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Trevino, as the Mustangs took a time out with 5:52 remaining in the game.
Out of the break, Little scored a put-back off of his own miss, but Longoria answered with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Trevino, making the score, 42-27. Aiden Shirkey responded with a three from the top of the key for Denver City, and the Wildcats called for a time out with 2:50 left to play.
Out of the break, Galvan picked up a steal and got it to Anderson for a lay-up, as the Mustangs called a quick time out with 2:19 remaining in the contest. Out of thebreak, Trevino buried a three from the left elbow, off of the assist from Salazar and with under one minute to play, Trevino drove the lane and kicked it out to Longoria, who knocked down a dagger three from the right elbow, as the Wildcats took down the Mustangs, 48-32.
Brown led the Wildcats in scoring with 16 points, while Longoria chipped in nine points and Jones and Trevino each tallied eight points. Salazar added five points and Cabello finished with two points in the contest.
The Wildcats were at Friona on Friday to take on the Chieftains. Results were not available at press time. They will host the Brownfield Cubs on Friday for their second meeting of the season.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.