Lady Mules vs. Bushland & Brownfield (11-10&15-2014)

Lady Mules vs. Bushland & Brownfield (11-10&15-2014)

The Lady Mules tipped off their 2014-2015 basketball season with a 74-69 overtime win over the Bushland Falcons on Monday evening. Attempting to fit basketball games with the Texas State Playoffs in both football and volleyball still taking place is quite a feat.

The Brownfield Lady Cubs are preseason favorites in many polls and visited the Lady Mules Saturday morning. The Cubs out muscled the Lady Mules 50-36 to even the Lady Mules’ season at 1-1.

Daniela Diaz caught fire in the opening period against Bushland by making her first two free throws of the season. She was fouled driving in for a lay up and made both charity shots just 28 seconds into the new season to tie the game at 2-2.

D. Diaz finished a fast break with Sadie Sudduth feeding her the ball. The Falcons made the first 3-pointer of the game but Sa. Sudduth and D. Diaz both answered with trey each to put the Lady Mules in front 10-5 a minute and half into the first quarter.

Both teams were able to put up points as the time ticked away in the opening frame. But the Lady Mules Run-n-Gun offense out paced the Falcons 24-14 with D. Diaz pumping in 12 points that included a pair of treys.

The second period was not the finest eight minutes for the Lady Mules as Bushland came roaring back with the first 13 points of the quarter. D. Diaz finally broke the scoring run with a driving lay up from the left wing. The Lady Mules trailed 27-26 with 2:52 remaining in the first half.

Sasha Esparza put back an offensive rebound and Conley Niblett made two free throws as time wound down. Bushland led 31-30 at the intermission.

Sydnie Sudduth drained a 3-pointer early in the third quarter to keep the Lady Mules in the game. The Falcons poured in three treys to out score the Lady Mule 15-12 in the third quarter to build a seven point lead with just over a minute left in the third quarter.

D. Diaz sank a shot from outside the arc and finished a fast break to trim the Falcon margin to 46-42 with the final eight minutes remaining to be played.

Sa. Sudduth hit from the elbow on an inbound play to start the final quarter. Reagan Reynolds stuck back an offensive rebound to tie the game at 46-46 with 30 seconds gone in the fourth quarter.

Sy. Sudduth nailed a trey to put the Lady Mules in front and Niblett drove the baseline for a hoop to give the Lady Mules a 53-48 cushion. A pair of free throws by Sa. Sudduth pushed the Lady Mule lead to 57-52.

The Falcons would not go away and sank a trey with 48 seconds on the clock to take a 61-60 lead over the Lady Mules. Niblett was fouled pulling down an offensive rebound. The Lady Mules were in the double bonus and Niblett made one of two from the line to tie the game and send it to overtime.

D. Diaz passed to Niblett on a fast break and she laid the ball up for a hoop to break the tie in the extra period. The Falcons made a trey to take a one-point lead with three minutes left in the bonus period. That was the final lead the Falcons would see.

Sy. Sudduth drove to the hoop, scored and was fouled. She completed the old-fashion three-point play by making the free throw. The Lady Mules made nine of 11 free throws in the extended period to secure the win.

D. Diaz paced the Lady Mules with 23 points that included three 3-pointers. Niblett made eight charity tosses in making her 17 points. Sa. Sudduth made seven of her 13 points in the opening period.

Sy. Sudduth made two treys for her 11 points. Reynolds and Esparza added four points each. Yvonne Diaz made three free throws in the overtime period for her three points.

Saturday morning was different story for the Lady Mules. It seemed as if each time they attempted to run a Brownfield Lady Cub was in their path. The Lady Mules got off to a slow start and trailed 24-13 at the intermission.

The Lady Mules point production picked up in the third quarter but the Cubs managed to maintain their 11-point advantage in the third quarter and built it to 14 before the game ended.

Niblett led the Lady Mules against the Cubs with 11 points of which 10 came in the final two quarters. Sy. Sudduth finished with 10 points and Diaz added seven. Sa. Sudduth dropped in four points, Y. Diaz and Shenice Rosas chipped in two points each.

The Lady Mules traveled to Morton Tuesday to battle the Maiden. The Lady Mules are scheduled to return home on Friday to host the Anton Lady Dawgs.