Sunday, January 18, 2015

Mules vs. Littlefield (1-16-2015)



Mules vs. Littlefield (1-16-2015)

The Mules and Littlefield Wildcats opened the District 2-3A conference season Friday night in what could only be called a barn burner for the first three quarters. The two teams were never separated by more than four points during the first 24 minutes of the game.

The Mules took over the game in the final period and out scored the Wildcats 26-9 for the 59-43 win.

The battle changed quickly in the final frame after Tony Castillo had his pocket picked by Abram Lucero. Lucero drove the floor and went up for a lay up. Castillo quickly recovered from loosing the ball and raced down the floor.

He cut in front and went up with Lucero. Castillo blocked the shot and was called for a foul because he drove Lucero to the floor with the ball.

The effort by Castillo ignited the Mules and frustrated the Wildcats. The Mules made 17 of 22 free throws in the final period to separate themselves from the Wildcats.

Danny Campos made a free throw that tied the game at 34-34 to start the final quarter. Dagen Dunham used a head fake to get his defender off his feet and then shot behind him for a basket from eight feet out. Jason Florez shot 12 of the Mule free throws in the final period and made 10.

Castillo hit a 3-pointer near the four minute mark of the final period to give the Mules a 44-38 lead. He added one of two free throws later in the period. Dunham made three-of-four from the line in the last four minutes of the game.

Campos sank a basket along with two from the charity line. The Mules dribbled out the final 14 seconds of the game.

“Our kids were amazing,” said Mule coach Clay White. “They played good defense against a big quick team. We also were not afraid to take the ball strong to the hole. This was a good way to start district.”

Wes Clarkson seemed to catch the ball in the corner and in the same motion fired up a 3-pointer that swished the net 28 seconds into the game. He added two free throws before the first quarter ended.

Castillo took a pass from Tony Vasquez and drove the baseline for a lay up. Florez found a crease and drove to the hoop and scored among the Littlefield trees. Dunham scored on an inbound play and then sank a trey from the left wing. Campos scored to give the Mules a 16-13 lead after one quarter.

The Cats came back in the second period to catch the Mules and owned a 24-23 lead at the half. Blayne Shipman scored in the paint and Castillo chipped in a free throw. Florez made two hoops in the quarter.

Dunham went up a shot a jump shot that just kissed the backboard before swishing through the net to start the second half. The two teams exchanged misses before Dunham sank a trey from the top of the key. Florez made a pair of free throws to tie the game at 30-30.

The Cats opened the only four-point lead late in the third period when the Cats, Anthony Jackson, scored back-to-back buckets. But Dunham took an inside out pass from Florez with the clock ticking down and nailed a 3-pointer from 23 feet to cut the Cat lead back to 34-33 with one period left to play.

No Wildcat reach double figures. Littlefield only made five-of-14 free throws.

Florez lead the Mules with 20 points and made 12-of-17 free throws. Dunham finished with 18 points that included three 3-pointers, three two’s and was three-of-four from the charity line.

Campos and Castillo added seven points each. Clarkson dropped in five points and Shipman chipped in two points.

The Mules traveled and played the 0-1 Friona Chieftains Tuesday and will return home Friday to host the Tulia Hornets.   

Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt & Littlefield (1-13&16-2015)



Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt & Littlefield (1-13&16-2015)

When the UIL drew up the District 2-3A schedule they did not do the young Lady Mules any favors. The Lady Mules had to take on what many consider to be the top three teams in the district in the first three games.

The Lady Mules hosted the Dimmitt Bobbies Tuesday night and then traveled to Littlefield to battle the always tough Lady Cats. The Lady Mules continued to battle the Bobbies and Sadie Sudduth hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Lady Mules a 32-30 lead. 

Dimmitt battled back in the final period to defeat the Lady Mules 48-44.

“What a great effort from our kids,” said Lady Mule coach Carey Sudduth. “Dimmitt is a very good team that causes lots of problems with their quickness in some spots and size in others.”

“We gave ourselves every opportunity to win that game. Winning is something you have to learn how to do. We are learning every game and every time we get in that situation we will be better for it.”

“Tonight the free throw line killed us. What is frustrating is that, for the year, that has been something we have been done pretty well. Dimmitt is one of the best AAA teams in this area and we just have to learn how to play a complete game.”

Littlefield plays a rough and tumble style of ball. The officials allowed the hand and body checks and the Lady Mules could not match up. The Cats took the night 44-35.

Sydnie Sudduth opened the game against the Bobbies with one of two free throws. Shanice Rosas snatched up an offensive rebound and put it up and in. Conley Niblett drove the paint for a basket and Reagan Reynolds nailed a trey from the top of the key. The Lady Mules trailed 13-8 after one quarter.

The Lady Mules only made four-of-six free throw attempts in the second period. Niblett was fouled while shooting and made one free throw. Dani Diaz and Angie Perez made a 3-pointer each.

Rosas made one-of-two free throws. Later she took a pass from Perez and scored from the blocks. Niblett made two free throws before the half ended with the Lady Mules trailing 27-20.

The Lady Mule defense held Dimmitt to just three points in the third quarter. D. Diaz and Sy. Sudduth sank a trey each after Niblett started the period by driving the lane for a hoop. She tied the game at 29-29 with a charity toss before Sa. Sudduth sank the 3-point buzzer beater. The Lady Mules led 32-30 going into the final period.

The Lady Mule woes at the charity line continued in the final period and they made three-of-10 from the line. Sy. Sudduth made one from the line to start the final period. She later scored a basket. Sa. Sudduth nailed a trey and later made a free throw. Rosas and Niblett made a hoop each.

Niblett led the Lady Mules with 11 points. Rosas, Sy. and Sa. Sudduth finished with seven points each. D. Diaz made two treys for six points. Reynolds and Perez made a trey each for three points apiece.

Neither Littlefield or the Lady Mules could score in the first two minutes. Niblett grabbed a rebound and drove the floor for a lay up to open the game. Sa. Sudduth did the same on the next trip down the floor.

Niblett drove the paint for a basket and the Lady Mules trailed the Cats 7-6 after one period.

The Cats big girl began to shove her way to the hoop in the second period and led Littlefield to an 18-12 lead at the intermission.

The Lady Mule defense held the Cats to six points in the third period. Yvonne Diaz used her quickness and scored inside the paint to start the third quarter. Sa. Sudduth made a pair from the charity line and dropped in trey from the top of the key. Sy. Sudduth took a pass from her sister and drove the lane for a basket. The Lady Mules had cut the Littlefield lead to 24-21.

Twelve of the Lady Mules’ last period points came from the free throw line as they knocked down 12-of-14 attempts. Niblett made one from the line to start the final frame. And Rosas followed suit with one-of-two charity tosses. Sa. and Sy. Sudduth were four-for-four from the line and Sa. chipped in the Lady Mules only basket. 

The Lady Mules were 16-of-20 from the line for 80 per cent free throw shooting.

Sa. Sudduth led the Lady Mules with 13 points. Niblett finished with eight points and Sy. Sudduth scored seven points. Y. Diaz added four points, D. Diaz dropped in two and Rosas chipped in one.

The 0-3 Lady Mules traveled to Friona Tuesday to meet the 0-3 Squaws. Friday the Lady Mules will wrap up the first round of district when they host the Tulia Hornets.

JV Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt (1-13-2015)



JV Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt (1-13-2015)

The JV Lady Mules got off to a slow start against the visiting Dimmitt Bobbies Tuesday night. The two teams played to a dead heat in the middle two quarter but the Lady Mules came roaring back in the final period for a 34-32 win.

“Games like this add to the gray hair population on top of my head,” said Lady Mule coach Edie Niblett. “But they are so much fun. Our girls let Dimmitt control the first quarter but we discussed changes at the half and were able to come away with a two-point win.”

“This team just does not know the meaning of quit and are a fun bunch to be around. We had 10 steals that helped turn the game around.”

Marilyn Melendez scored with a baseline move to start the game. Jasmine Garza made a hoop and Dezi Gutierrez charged the Bobbies for a foul by making both shots from the line. Brittney Mendoza passed to Melendez for the final Lady Mule hoop of the quarter. Dimmitt led the Lady Mules 13-8 after one quarter.

Marissa Reyes scored the first basket of the second period and Garza dropped in a 3-pointer to tie the game at 13-13. Brittney Mendoza made the final bucket of the half and the Lady Mules had trimmed the Bobbie lead to 19-15.

Reyes scored a hoop to open the third period. Hallie Myatt put back an offensive rebound and Karla Bustillos scored in the paint. Myatt chipped in a free throw as the two teams had played to a 7-7 dead heat in the third period.

Gutierrez went coast-to-coast for the Lady Mules first basket of the final frame. Mendoza chipped in a free throw. Reyes stuck back an offensive rebound for a hoop. Gutierrez lined up a trey and sank it to give the Lady Mules a 30-28 lead with just under two minutes left to play. Reyes scored the final two hoops to clinch the win.

Reyes led the Lady Mules with 10 points and Gutierrez finished with seven points. Garza dropped in five points and Melendez added four points. Myatt and Mendoza scored three points each and Bustillos chipped in two points.

The Lady Mules traveled to Friona Tuesday night for a game with the Maidens and return home Friday to host the Tulia Hornets.  

JV Mules vs. Littlefield (1-16-2015)



JV Mules vs. Littlefield (1-16-2015)

The JV Mules seemed to be rolling merrily along through the basketball season. But Friday night in Littlefield the emergency break must have gotten pushed as the Mules just could not gain any momentum. The Wildcats took the game 34-22.

The Mules and Littlefield played to a dead heat in the first period. Triston Boehning took the entry pass from Jesse Leal and scored in the paint. He added a put back later in the period.

Leal finished an old-fashion three-point play by making the free throw after he battled his way through a foul for a hoop. Javy Perez finished the period with a fast break basket. The game was tied at 9-9 after one quarter.

The Cats held the Mules to a single basket in the second period but the Mules made four free throws. Leal had the hoop and two free throws. Tony Vasquez and Perez chipped in a free throw each. The Mules trailed 20-15 at the half.

The Mules could not get their scoring engine started in the third quarter but managed to hold Littlefield to just three points. The Mules trailed 23-15 with one period left to play.

Boehning scored three hoops for the Mules and Leal chipped in a free throw.

Boehning led the Mules with 20 points and Leal finished with eight points. Perez added three points and Vasquez chipped in one point.

The Mules traveled to Friona to face the Braves Tuesday night and hosted the Tulia Hornets Friday. 

9th Lady Mules vs. Littlefield (1-12-2015)



9th Lady Mules vs. Littlefield (1-12-2015)

The freshmen Lady Mules improved their record to 8-7 Monday evening by defeating the Littlefield Lady Cats 31-25. The win took an overtime period after the Lady Mules seemed to take a break in the fourth period and allowed the Cats to tie the game.

The Lady Mules led 23-16 going into the final quarter and Lily Barrera hit a 15-foot baseline jump shot to start the quarter. The Cats scored three unanswered baskets to cut the Lady Mule lead to 25-22 and with time running out nailed a 3-pointer for the tie.

Lady Mule coach Sheri Veazy managed to settle down her charges before the extra time started and drew up a plan for the overtime.

Barrera opened the extra time with a hoop from just beyond the elbow. Melody Moran picked a Lady Cat’s pocket after she made a defensive rebound. Moran fired up a shot that gave the Lady Mules a 29-24 lead with a minute left in the OT. Barrera put back an offensive rebound that end all scoring.

Barrera drove the lane to start the game but the Cats hit a trey. Brianna Barron drove the paint and put a little tear drop shot that settled through the net. The Lady Mules led 6-5 after one period.

Moran scored from the elbow to open the second period. Barron made a steal and was fouled shooting. She made one from the charity line. Noa Rojas spun and scooped the ball up on the glass to give the Lady Mules an 11-6 lead at the half.

Moran fed Rojas the ball on the baseline for a basket to start the third quarter. Moran picked off a Cat pass and pushed the ball ahead to Barron running on the break for a lay up. Rojas scored from the free-throw line to open a 17-9 Lady Mule lead with five and half minutes left in the third quarter.

Moran passed to Barrera breaking to the hoop. Barrera sank the reverse lay up. Cassidy Cage followed on the fast break and was fouled on her put-back attempt. She sank both free throws. Rojas cleared an offensive rebound an scored but the Cats scored five points to cut the Lady Mule lead to 23-16 after three quarters.

Barrera led the Lady Mules with 10 points and Rojas finished with eight points. Barron dropped in seven points, Moran added four points and Cage chipped in two.

The Lady Mules hosted the Friona Maidens Monday night and will finish the season on the road in Tulia, Littlefield and Friona.