WILDCATS WIN OT THRILLER OVER ALPINE, 53-52

The fourth seeded Littlefield Wildcats’ varstiy basketball team won an overtime thriller over the number one seeded Alpine Bucks at Andrews High School on Saturday, 53-52, to claim the Region I 3A Bi-district championship.

With the win, the Wildcats improve to 16-9 overall on the season.

“It means a lot to get these guys a gold ball,” Head Coach Rob Ogle said. “These seniors had a chance to get these gold balls, but these juniors were part of it last year, but they didn’t really get to contribute. This year they’re a big part of it and have earned it. We’ve had some tough talks, some tough individual meetings and they just said, Coach we just want to win a gold ball.”

He added, “I’m very proud of them for fighting back when they very easily could have let down. They fought back through the adversity and they won it, they won it.”

Senior forward, Tyree Jones, won the opening tip-off tipping it ahead to senior forward, Chris Brown, who drained a three from the right wing to put the Wildcats in front, 3-0. Franky Ontiveros sank a three from the left elbow to tie the game, 3-3, but junior guard, Jordan Trevino, answered, as he drove the lane and passed it to Brown, who dropped in a lay-up, making the score, 5-3.

With 4:46 remaining in the opening quarter, Brady Crump was fouled on a fast-break attempt by Trevino. He converted both free throws to tie the game, 5-5. Aiden Morrissey drove the lane, finishing it off with a spin to the basket for a lay-up, but Trevino answered with a three from the top of the key for Littlefield, off of the assist from senior wing, Caden Longoria, making the score, 8-7.

Morrissey responded with a three from the left elbow to regain the lead for Alpine, but Jones answered with a put-back off of his own miss, drawing an and-one foul on Jace Canaba. Me missed the free throw leaving the game tied, 10-10. Isaiah Nunez knocked down a jumper from the left elbow, giving the Bucks a, 12-10, lead as the first quarter came to an end.

Jones was fouled on a put-back attempt by Jace Canaba to open the second quarter; he sank both free throws to tie the game, 12-12, and on their next possession, junior wing, Ethan Garcia hit Trevino for a three from the left elbow, putting Littlefield out in front, 15-12.

Morrissey came right back with a three from the right elbow for Alpine to tie the game and on their next possession, he was fouled on a fast-break attempt by Garcia. He split the free throws, leaving the score, 16-15, with 3:12 remaining in the first half.

With 2:28 left to play in the half, Trevino buried a three from the left elbow off of the assist from senior point guard, Jeremiah Salazar, making it a one-possession game, 18-16. Ontiveros dropped in a lay-up for the Bucks, but Longoria answered with a jumper in the lane to make the score, 20-18, as Alpine took a time out to talk things over.

Out of the break, Nunez drained a three from the top of the key, but on the other end, Jones was fouled on an attempt, earning a trip to the line. He converted both free throws to give littlefield the lead, 22-21.

In the closing seconds of the half, Jayden Canaba took a charge on Jones and Morrissey knocked down a three at the buzzer to send the Bucks into halftime in front of Littlefield, 24-22.

Salazar took a charge on Morrissey to open the second half and Trevino followed it up with back to back threes from the elbows to put the Wildcats out in front by four, 28-24. Alpine took a time out with 7:16 remaining in the third quarter and out of the break, Brown dropped in a lay-up, off of the assist from Jones to make the score, 30-24.

Alpine took another time out with 6:25 remaining in the quarter, and out of the break, Jones drove to the basket and delivered a powerful slam dunk to ignite the crowd, pushing their lead out to, 32-24. Morrissey knocked down a three from the right elbow to end the scoring drought for the Bucks, but on the Wildcats next possession, Jones grabbed an offensive rebound and delivered a put-back slam to fire up the crowd once again, making the score, 34-27.

Nunez split a pair of free throws and followed it up with a lay-up, as Littlefield took a time out with 2:47 to play in the quarter. Out of the break, Ontiveros drained a three from the left elbow, but senior guard, Joseph Salinas, nailed a three from the right elbow, off of the assist from Salazar, making the score, 37-33.

Littlefield took a time out with 1:17 remaining in the quarter and out of the break, Brown scored a lay-up offof the assist from Salazar, making the score, 39-33. Alpine answered, as Cody Barragan knocked down a three, off of the assist from Morrissey, cutting the lead to three points, 39-36.

Morrissey was fouled on a three-point attempt and knocked down two-of-three shots from the line and Brown split a pair of free throws to close out the quarter with Littlefield on top, 40-38, heading into the final quarter of play.

Morrissey got to the basket with a spin move and dropped in a scoop lay-up to open the fourth quarter and Jayden Canaba followed it up with a lay-up to tie the game, 42-40. Mason Caveness dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Ontiveros to stretch the Alpine lead to four points, 44-40, as Littlefield took a time out to talk things over with 5:50 remaining.

Brown was fouled out of the break by Jace Canaba; he converted both free throws to cut the lead to two-points on the other end, Nunez was called for an offensive foul, turning it back over to the Wildcats with 4:24 left to play in the game. Jones dropped in a floater in the lane, drawing an and-one foul on Crump. He missed the free throw leaving the score tied, 44-44.

Littlefield took a time out with 2:34 remaining, and out of the break, Jones scored a put-back off of a miss by Trevino to give Littlefield a brief lead, but on the other end, Morrissey knocked down a step-back three from the left elbow, putting Alpine up one, 47-46. With under one minute to play, Jones spun to the basket and dropped in a finger-roll lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Caveness. He missed the free throw, leaving the score, 48-47.

Trevino fouled out with 22.8 seconds remaining and after Salinas forced an air ball by Morrissey, Littlefield took a time out with four seconds left to play in the game. Jones was fouled on the inbound play by Jayden Canaba, who fouled out of the contest. He sank one-of-two shots at the line, making the score, 49-47.

Alpine called a time out and after getting the ball to halfcourt on the inbound play, called another time out with 2.2 seconds remaining. Alpine turned the ball over out of bounds, but a long inbound pass sailed out of bounds, giving Alpine one last chance under their own basket, where Crump dropped in a wide open lay-up under the basket to force overtime, with the game tied, 49-49.

Crump knocked down a corner three from the left side, off of the assist from Morrissey to open overtime and with under one minute to play, Jones drove the baseline and hit Brown on the back-door cut for a lay-up, as he drew an and-one foul on Nunez. He missed the free throw, leaving the score, 52-51.

Littlefield took a time out with 26.7 seconds remaining in the game, trailing by one, and out of the break, Morrissey was fouled on the floor by Salinas. He missed the front end of the one-in-one opportunity, as Littlefield called a time out with 14.6 seconds remaining. Out of the break, the Wildcats had time for one last play, Salazar caught the ball on the wing and dribbled inside the arc before pulling up and knocking down the midrange jumper to win the game, 53-52.

“I was just trying to score, just trying to get the ball in the basket,” Salazar said. “It’s great to win another gold ball with my teammates.”

Brown led the Wildcats in scoring with 19 points, while Jones tallied 17 points and Trevino finished with 15 points. Salinas chipped in three points, while Salazar and Longoria each finished with two points in the contest.

The Wildcats took on third seeded Childress on Tuesday at LCU. Results were not available at press time.