Wildcats take down Friona on senior night, 69-31

The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity basketball team won their senior night contest on Friday over the Friona Chieftains, 69-31, at Wildcat Gym.

With the win, the Wildcats improve to 25-3 overall, 8-1 in district play.

Jose Luis Saucedo opened the game with a lay-up for Friona, but Jeremiah Trevino answered with a lay-up on the left side and Josiah Garcia banked in a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Ja’Den Williams, making the score, 5-2. With 3:44 to play in the opening quarter, Ja’Den Williams used a euro step to get into the lane for a lay-up and he followed it up with another lay-up, drawing an andone foul on Cade Seaman. He missed the free throw, leaving the score, 9-2.

Kam McCarty drained a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Ryan Williams, but Brice Jeter answered with a put-back and Cade Seaman followed it up with a lay-up to cut the lead to, 12-6, with under a minute to play in the first quarter. Ja’Den Williams, though, answered with a tip-in on the other end and Chip Green followed it up with a jumper from the left wing, off of the assist from Ryan Williams, making the score, 17-6, as the first quarter came to a close.

Cade Seaman opened the second frame with a three from the right elbow, but Green picked up a steal on the next play and got it ahead to Ryan Williams, who dropped in a floater to push the lead to, 19-9. McCarty followed it up with a put-back off of a miss by Trevino and Green kept it going with a three from the right wing off of an assist from Trevino, extending their lead to, 24-9, with 5:30 to play in the half.

Ryan Williams drained a three from the right elbow off of the assist from McCarty and Green followed it up with a put-back off of a miss by Jayden Barrio, as he drew an and-one foul on Saucedo. He converted the free throw, making the score, 30-9, with 4:37 left to play in the half. Nathan Perez drove the left baseline for a layup for Friona, but McCarty was fouled on the next play by Perez, earning a trip to the line. He made one-of-two shots from the line, making the score, 31-11.

Ryan Williams dropped in a putback off of his own miss and McCarty followed it up with a lay-up, stretching their lead to, 35-11, with 2:36 to play in the half. Green picked up a steal and got it ahead to Ryan Williams for the easy lay-up, but Cade Seaman responded on the other end with a lay-up for Friona, trimming the lead to, 37-13.

With under a minute to play in the half, Ja’Den Williams buried a three from the left wing, but Nathan Perez would beat the buzzer on the other end with a reverse lay-up, making the score, 40-15, going into the locker room at halftime.

Carson Seaman opened the second half with a lay-up, but Trevino responded with a put-back off of his own miss, and Ja’Den Williams followed it up with a lay-up to make the score, 44-17, with 4:36 to play in the third quarter. Cade Seaman drew a shooting foul on Ja’Den Williams and made one-of-two shots from the line to trim the lead to, 44-18. He followed it up with a fast-break lay-up, but McCarty fired back with a three from the right elbow and on the next play, Ryan Williams hit Green with an outlet pass, as Green found Trevino for the lay-up in transition, pushing the lead back out to, 49-20.

With under two minutes to play in the third, Green dropped in a lay-up and Ryan Williams followed it up with a floater in the lane, before Saucedo dropped in a floater on the left baseline for Friona to close out the third quarter with Littlefield in control, 55-20.

Ryan Williams opened the final frame with a lay-up, but Saucedo answered with a lay-up on the other end for the Chieftains, making the score, 57-22. Ryan Williams knocked down a three from the right wing off of the assist by Barrio, but the Chieftains again answered, as Jameson Daniels dropped in a lay-up to make the score, 60-24.

With 6:13 left to play, Ryan Williams drained another three for the Wildcats, extending their lead to, 6324. Friona dropped in back-to-back lay-ups, but Green resopnded with a lay-up for the Wildcats, and Barrio followed it up with a three from the right wing, making the scrore, 66-28, with 4:08 left to play.

Johnny Gonzalez dropped in a layup off of an assist from Saucedo and Cade Seaman was fouled on the next play by MJ Randle, earning a trip to the line. He split the attempts at the line, trimming the lead to, 66-31. Garcia buried a three from the left elbow off of an assist from Trevino, as Littlefield went on to take the contest, 69-31.

The Wildcats were led in scoring by Ryan Williams, who tallied 19 points, to go along with three rebounds and two assists. Green joined in double-figures scoring with 13 points, to go along with seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals, while Ja’Den Williams contributed 11 points, seven rebounds and one assist. McCarty also netted 11 points, while adding four rebounds and two assists.

Trevino chipped in six points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal, while Garcia contributed six points, five rebounds and one assist, and Barrio tallied three points, seven rebounds and two assists. Pratt contributed five rebounds and one block, while Randle finished with two rebounds and two assists.

The Wildcats were on the road on Tuesday to take on the Muleshoe Mules in district play. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Friday when they travel to Denver City to take on the Mustangs for their second meeting of district play.

Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.