Wildcats slay tigers, 72-39

The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team won a non-district match-up over the Slaton Tigers on Tuesday, 72-39, at Wildcat Gymnasium.

With the win, the Wildcats improve to 6-6 overall on the season.

Ryan Williams got into the paint with a spin move, finishing with a floater in the lane to open the contest, but Slaton’s Jacob Lopez answered with a three from the right elbow to put the Tigers in front, 3-2. Chip Green responded with a three from the left elbow, off of the assist from Jeremiah Trevino, but the Tigers fired right back, as Izack Nichols drained a three from the right elbow to put Slaton back in front, 6-5, with 5:44 remaining in the opening quarter.

Green took a charge on Adan Camano and the Wildcats capitalized, as Trevino took the ball to the hoop for a lay-up on the left side, off of the assist from Ryan Williams to regain the lead, 7-6. Green followed it up with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Ryan Williams, but Slaton answered with a lay-up by Nichols to trim the lead to, 10-8, with just over four minutes remaining in the first quarter.

Trevino took the ball to the hoop strong and drew a shooting foul on Travarein Samuels; he converted both free throws and on the following play, Elijah Salazar was fouled on a jumper attempt by Matthew Perez. He too converted both free throws to stretch their lead to, 14-8. In the closing seconds of the quarter, Omar Martinez picked up a steal and was fouled on the fast-break attempt by Jacob Lopez; he knocked down both shots at the line to push their lead to, 16-8, as the first quarter came to a close.

Green was fouled on the floor by Sach Ordonez to open the second quarter, sending him to the line for a one-in-one opportunity. Green made one-of-two shots at the line to extend their lead to, 17-8. MJ Randle picked up a steal and got it ahead to Martinez, who finished off the fastbreak with a lay-up to stretch their lead to, 19-8, as Slaton took a time out to talk things over with 6:46 to play in the first half.

Out of the break, Randle banked in a turnaround jumper from the right elbow, but on the other end, Lopez was fouled on an attempt by Martinez; he converted both shots at the line to trim the lead to, 21-10, with 5:15 to play in the half. Trevino dropped in a lay-up off of an outlet pass from Randle, and on their next possession, Ja’Den Williams was fouled on the floor by Lopez, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. He knocked down both free throws to stretch the lead to, 25-10.

Salazar knocked down a pull-up jumper from the right elbow and Trevino was fouled on their next possession by Perez. He knocked down both shots in the double-bonus to push their lead out to, 29-10. Camano knocked down a three from the right corner for the Tigers, but Salazar answered with a three of his own from the top of the key, off of the assist from Green, pushing the lead out to, 32-13, with 2:26 to play in the half.

Lopez dropped in a lay-up for the Tigers, but with 1:12 to play in the half, Green buried a three from the right wing, off of the assist from Ja’Den Williams making the score, 35-15. Littlefield went on a, 4-0, scoring run to close out the first half, including a three at the buzzer from Green, off of the assist from Ja’Den Williams, making the score, 39-15, going into the locker room at halftime.

Trevino split a pair of free throws to open the second half, but Samuels answered with a lay-up to trim the lead to, 40-17. Trevino took a charge on Samuels, who picked up his fourth foul of the game, and the Wildcats capitalized on the turnover, as Green knocked down a three from the left wing off of the assist from Randle, as their lead ballooned out to, 43-17, with 5:41 remaining in the third.

Lopez knocked down a three from the top of the key, but Littlefield answered, as Trevino and Martinez dropped in back-to-back lay-ups to stretch the lead to, 47-20. Ordonez drained a three from the left wing for the Tigers, but on the other end, Trevino was fouled on a put-back attempt by Camano. He split a pair of free throws to make the score, 48-23, and Salazar followed it up with a jumper from the right wing, stretching their lead to, 50-23.

The Tigers sank another three from the right elbow, this one again by Lopez, but Zeke Saenz answered with a lay-up off of the assist from Ja’Den Williams. Slaton would come right back with another three from Ordonez, cutting the lead to, 52-29, with 1:47 to play in the third quarter. Martinez, though would drop in a lay-up and in the closing seconds of the quarter, Saenz dropped in a layup off of the inbound pass from Salazar to make the score, 56-29, going into the final quarter of play.

With 6:08 remaining, Green split a pair of free throws and Randle followed it up with a steal on the Slaton inbounds play and dropped it in for a lay-up to stretch the lead to, 59-29. Salazar scored a lay-up off of an assist from Trevino, but with 3:41 left to play, Juvondrick Clemens was fouled on an attempt by Trevino. He converted both free throws to trim the lead to, 61-31.

Lopez drove the lane, dumping the ball off to CJ Anzley for a lay-up, but on the other end, Ja’Den Williams was fouled on the floor by Anzley, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. He made one-oftwo shots at the line to make the score, 64-33. Salazar knocked down a jumper from the left wing for the Wildcats, but Slaton answered with a three from the top of the key to trim the lead to, 64-36, with 1:48 remaining.

Littlefield would close out the game on an, 8-3, scoring run to take the contest, 72-39.

Green led the Wildcats in scoring with 17 points, and he was joined in double-figures scoring by Salazar, who tallied 15 points, Martinez, who chipped in 11 points and Trevino, who finished with 10 points.

Saenz tallied eight points, while Randle netted six points, Ja’Den Williams tallied three points, and Ryan Williams finished with two points.

The Wildcats took on Clyde at Ira on Friday. Results were not available at press time. They will be at Levelland on Tuesday to take on the Lobos.

Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.