The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team used a big third quarter to pull away from the Muleshoe Mules on Friday, taking the contest on the road, 68-48, in their second meeting of district 3-3A play.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 14-11 overall, 6-1 in district play.
Eliasar Ciseneros was fouled on an attempt to open the contest for Muleshoe; he sank both shots at the line, but Jeremiah Trevino quickly answered with a lay-up off of an assist from Ryan Williams to tie the game, 2-2. Tate Shipman was called for a charge and on the next play, Q Busby picked up a steal and took it the other way for a fast- break lay- up, putting Littlefield in front, 4-2.
With 5:05 remaining in the opening quarter, Ryan Williams drained a three from the right elbow off of an assist from Chip Green, but on the other end, Irvin Torres was fouled on an attempt, earning a trip to the line. He made one-oftwo shots at the line, trimming the lead to, 7-3. Shipman followed it up with a lay-up off of a long assist from Torres and Torres kept it going with a lay-up off of a turnover by Ryan Williams on the inbound play to tie the game, 7-7.
Shipman dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Adam Alarcon to give Muleshoe the lead, 9-7, and two possessions later, Torres knocked down a deep two from the right wing off of an assist from Ciseneros, making the score, 11-7. Omar Martinez scored on a cut to the basket, but Torres answered with a lay-up on the left side for Muleshoe to make the score, 13-9. With under a minute remaining in the first, Martinez dropped in a bucket off the glass and MJ Randle followed it up with a no-look pass to Trevino for a lay-up to tie the game, 13-13, as the first quarter came to a close.
Shipman hit Sebastian Kirven for a lay-up and Kirven followed it up with another lay-up off of an assist from Alarcon, pushing their lead to, 13-17. Shipman knocked down a short jumper from the right elbow, but Martinez responded with a quick answer for Littlefield, trimming the lead to, 19-15, with 5:15 to play in the first half.
The Mules took a time out with 5:07 remaining in the half, and out of the break, Elijah Salazar picked up a steal and got it ahead to Green on the fast-break, as he finished it off with a lay-up to make it a onepossession Muleshoe lead, 19-17. Torres drained a three from the right wing for the Mules, but on the other end, Ryan Williams was fouled on an attempt by Kirven, who picked up his third foul of the half. Ryan Williams made one-oftwo shots at the line and Salazar followed it up with a put-back off of a miss by Ryan Williams on their next possession to keep it a onepossession game, 22-20.
Shipman dropped in a lay-up on the left side for the Mules, but Martinez responded with a lay-up for Littlefield and Trevino went coast-to-coast on the next play to tie the game, 24-24. Martinez was fouled on an attempt by the Mules and sank one-of-two shots from the line to put Littlefield in front, 25- 24. Two possessions later, Shipman was fouled on an attempt by Ja’Den Williams and made oneof- two shots at the line to tie the game, 25-25.
Green answered with a three from the right wing off of an assist from Randle, but with 29 seconds to play in the half, Randle was called for a charge, turning the ball over to the Mules. Shipman dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Alarcon, as the Wildcats took a one-point lead, 28-27, into the locker room at halftime.
Martinez dropped in a lay-up and converted an and-one free throw to open the second half and Trevino followed it up with a layup off of an assist from Ryan Williams, making the score, 33-27. Muleshoe took a time out with 6:56 remaining in the third, and out of the break, Martinez picked up a steal and got it ahead to Ryan Williams, who was fouled on the fastbreak by Nathan Martens. He converted both free throws, stretching their lead to, 35-27.
Martinez dropped in a lay-up off of an outlet pass from Salazar, as the Mules took another time out with 5:26 to play in the third, trailing, 37- 27. Out of the break, Alarcon was fouled on an attempt by Randle and split the free throws, but Green answered with a three from the right wing off of the drive and kick out from Martinez, pushing the lead to, 4028.
Salazar kept the scoring run going, as he hit Martinez with outlet pass for a quick lay-up to extend the lead to, 42-28. Littlefield took a time out with 3:29 to play in the third, and out of the break, Salazar buried a three from the right wing off of an assist from Martinez, stretching their lead to, 45-28. Ciseneros dropped in a lay-up to end the scoring drought for Muleshoe, but Ryan Williams answered with a left-handed lay-up to make the score, 47-30.
Jesus Hernandez dropped in a lay-up for the Mules, but Ryan Williams again answered, this time draining a three from the left wing to extend their lead to, 50-32. Martens knocked down a runner from the right side for Muleshoe and Hernandez followed it up with a three from the right elbow off of an assist from Shipman to cut the lead to, 50-37, but on the other end, Ryan Williams lobbed a pass inside to Trevino, who dropped in a lay-up to make the score, 52-37.
With time winding down in the third, Trevino picked up a steal and got it ahead to Salazar on the fastbreak for a lay-up to make the score, 54-37, going into the final quarter of play.
Ryan Williams drove the left side for a lay-up to open the fourth quarter, but Shipman answered with a floater from the left elbow to make the score, 56-39. Martens dropped in a lay-up for the Mules, as they continued to try and chip away at the Littlefield lead still trailing, 56-41.
Ciseneros was fouled on an attempt by Martinez and sank oneof- two shots at the line, but Martinez answered with back-toback lay-ups to stretch their lead back out to, 60-42. Martens scored on a lay-up off of an assist from Alarcon, but Martinez responded with a lay-up off of an assist from Green and Busby followed it up with a lay-up off of the outlet pass from Ja’Den Williams, making the score, 64-44, with 2:01 remaining in the game.
Torres dropped in a lay-up off of the glass, but on the other end, Ja’Den Williams was fouled on the floor by Martens. He made both shots on the one-in-one opportunity, but Torres again answered with a lay-up on the left side to make the score, 66-48. With 1:17 remaining, Randle was fouled on the floor by Ciseneros, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. He sank both free throws, as Littlefield went on to take the contest, 68-48.
Martinez led the Wildcats in scoring with 22 points, while Ryan Williams netted 13 points and Trevino tallied 10 points. Green chipped in in eight points, while Salazar added seven points and Busby contributed four points. Ja’Den Williams and Randle each finished with two points in the contest.