Mules vs. Tulia & Shallowater (2-10&13-2014)

Mules vs. Tulia & Shallowater (2-10&13-2014)

The Mules were racing toward the end of the regular season and tied with Friona for third and fourth place in District 2-3A when the week started. The Mules traveled to Tulia Tuesday night and dominated the Hornets 60-36.

That win moved the Mules into a tie with Dimmitt for second and third place. Shallowater just escaped the Mules 47-45 Friday night and now the Mules are in a three-way tie with Dimmitt and Friona for second, third and fourth places with one game left to play.

Tulia proved to be no match for the Mules and had no player that could match up with 6-4 Dagen Dunham. Dunham scored the first basket of each period for the Mules and finished the night with 29 points.

Dunham scored twice and made two free throws for six points in the opening period. Wes Clarkson sank a trey from the corner and Tony Castillo took a pass from Jason Florez to hoop.

Dunham made a bounce pass to Florez breaking down the lane for a hoop. Florez threaded the needle with bullet passes down the lane to Blayne Shipman open on the blocks for back-to-back baskets. The Mules led 17-6 after one quarter.

The Mules seemed to take the second period off with Dunham scoring twice and Grey Johnson chipped in a free throw. Tulia had trimmed four points off the Mule lead and trailed 22-15 at the half.

The Mules took turns getting Dunham the ball on the blocks in the third period and he scored 15 points in the third period.

Dunham made a free throw to start the second half and then put back an offensive rebound. Josh Lopez fed Dunham first, Tony Vasquez was next, Danny Campos and finally Florez all made assists to Dunham.

Florez sank a pair of free throws and nailed a trey. Campos stuck back an offensive rebound and scored from near the elbow. The Mules had out scored the Hornets 24-12 in the third period to lead the Hornets 46-27 with one period left to play.

Campos and Florez both set up Dunham with a pass. Campos cleaned up the back side with a put back and dropped in a short jumper. Grey Johnson and JJ Gandara both made a pair of free throws. Beto Diaz scored his first two points as a varsity player.

Campos finished the night with eight points and Florez made seven points. Shipman scored four points. Clarkson and Johnson dropped in three points. Castillo , Gandara and Diaz each chipped in two points.

The Shallowater Mustangs led the Mules until the final minute of the fourth period when Castillo drove the baseline to tie the game at 45-45. The Mules had trailed by eight points when the final quarter began.

The Mules had chipped away at the difference until Castillo scored.

The Mustangs ran the clock down and scored with just eight seconds on the clock. The Mules could not score in the short time remaining.

The Mules got off to a very slow start and Dunham hit a trey from near the baseline with about three and half minutes left in the first quarter. Campos put back an offensive rebound and Clarkson nailed a trey with 38 seconds left in the first quarter. The Mules trailed 14-8 after one quarter.

Florez opened the second period by picking a Mustang’s pocket and driving the court for a lay up. He duplicated that feat later in the period. Florez found Shipman open on the blocks and passed him the ball for a hoop. Dunham dropped in a 3-pointer and added a free throw before the half ended.

Diaz grabbed an offensive rebound and managed to shoot the ball as he went to the floor. Vasquez got an assist from Dunham in the paint. The Mules had trimmed the Shallowater lead to 27-22 by the half.

The Mustangs extended their lead to eight after the third quarter.

Dunham scored in the paint to start the third quarter and Campos cleaned up the offensive boards for a put back. Diaz made a pair of free throws and Castillo scored from near the baseline.

Campos opened the final period with a free throw and he added two more charity tosses. Johnson and Campos each picked up an assist with passes to Dunham on the blocks. Florez made two driving hoops and Diaz put back a rebound. Castillo knotted the game at 45-45 with the Mules final shot of the game.

Dunham led the Mules with 13 points. Florez finished with eight points and Campos made seven. Diaz scored six points and Castillo dropped in four points. Clarkson added three points. Vasquez and Shipman chipped in two points each.

The Mules and Dimmitt Bobcats broke the tie Tuesday night when they played in the New Muleshoe High School Gymnasium. Tulia was at Littlefield and Shallowater traveled to Friona.