Mules vs. Whitharral Panthers & Friona Chieftons (1-14 & 17)

Mules vs. Whitharral Panthers & Friona Chieftons (1-14 & 17)

The Mules played the Whitharral Panthers during their open date on Tuesday and returned home to finish up their first round of district against the Friona Chieftains. The Mules defeated the Panthers 41-19 and may have used that game as practice to play the Chieftains. 

Friona and the Mules were tied at 29-29 at the intermission. The Mules cranked up the defense for the second half and held the Chiefs to six points in the third period but backed off in the final quarter. The Mules led by sixteen at the end of the third quarter but allowed the lead to evaporate in the final frame. 

Friona made 12 of 17 free throws in the final period along with two treys and five baskets for 28 points and led the Mules 63-62 with just seconds left to play. Matt Barron took the in bound pass and drove the floor. 

No defender forced him to pickup his dribble and found a lane to the basket. He elevated and kissed the ball off the glass to score a hoop with just three seconds on the clock. The Chiefs in bound the ball and took a half court shot that fell short. The Mules won the game 64-63.

The Mules struggled out of the gate against Whitharral but led 6-5 after one quarter. Dagan Dunham made the Mules first two points from near the blocks almost two minutes into the game. Matt Barron and Grey Johnson added a basket each. 

The second period proved to be much better for the Mules as they out scored the Panthers 14-4. Blaine Hurtado opened the Mules scoring almost a minute into the period and added a second hoop during the quarter. 

Barron made a free throw and went coast-to-coast for a lay up. Danny Campos chipped in a free throw and Dunham added a basket from the blocks. Keagan Gonzales put back a rebound for two points. Jason Florez took the long rebound and went coast-to-coast for a lay up to beat the buzzer. The Mules led 20-9 at the half. 

The Mules out scored the Panthers 12-6  in the third quarter and 9-4 in the final frame. 

Barron led the Mules in scoring with 12 points. Dunham and Campos added six points each. Hurtado and Florez dropped in four points each and Wesley Clarkson made a trey in the final period for three points. Johnson, Gonzales and Austin Ross chipped in two points apiece. 

The Mules and Friona battled to almost a dead heat in the opening period. The Chiefs led 16-15 after one quarter. The Mules went down low to Dunham and he scored the first two points of the game for the Mules. He added a second hoop later in the quarter. Campos added a pair of free throws. 

Barron nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key and Johnson made two free throws after being fouled shooting. Hurtado and Florez made a basket each. 

The Mules tied the game by out running the Chiefs 14-13 in the second quarter to tie the game at 29-29 at the half. Nacho Elizalde scored the Mules first two points of the second period. 

Florez went end-to-end for a lay up and added a second hoop later in the period. He finished the quarter with a free throw. Clarkson made a free throw and added a basket while Dunham scored two hoops in the quarter.

The Stower brothers Brad and Cole scored all but three of Friona’s first half points. 

Florez led off the third period for the Mules with a basket and dropped in a second hoop and a free throw. Barron converted three-point play after fighting through a foul to make a lay up and added the free throw. He sank a 3-pointer before the period ended. 

Clarkson also nailed a trey and Campos made a 10-foot jumper. Dunham scored twice in the period and the Mule defense held Friona to just six points in the period. The Mules led 51-35 with one period left to play. 

The Mules did not score for almost three minutes while Friona began to whittle away at the lead. Co Stowers tried to take over the game and scored 19 of Friona’s final 28 points. 

Barron did most of the damage for the Mules and made 10 points in the final period that included the winning shot. Clarkson made a basket and Blaine Shipman chipped in a free throw. 

Barron led the Mules with 19 points. Florez and Dunham added 12 points apiece. Clarkson dropped in eight points and Johnson and Campos finished with four points each. Elizalde and Hurtado made two points each and Shipman chipped in a point. 

The Mules traveled to Olton Tuesday night with hopes of evening the score with the Mustangs and start the second round of district with a record of 3-3. The Mules return 

home Tuesday night to host the Dimmitt Bobcats.