JV Lady Mules vs. Abernathy (11-24-2014)

JV Lady Mules vs. Abernathy (11-24-2014)

The JV Lady Mules may be in the process of giving their coach ulcers. They started the season pounding every opponent. But in the Hale Center Owl Tournament the Lady Mules dropped their first two games.

The Plainview Lady Bulldogs defeated the Lady Mules 38-26 and Hale Center slipped past the Lady Mules 32-25. The Lady Mules got back on the winning track by defeating the Meadow Lady Broncos 50-23.

The Lady Mules just eased by the Abernathy Lady Lopes Monday night 42-37 to improve their record to 5-2.

“We held Plainview to just two points in the third quarter,” said Lady Mule coach Edie Niblett. “Our press held Plainview down in the third but I should have pulled out of it sooner. We just did not have any fuel left to finish out the game.”

“Sometimes when the wheels fall off they just keep rolling. We were out scored and out hustled by Hale Center. We were never able to catch our breath and get a jump on them. But my girls were back when we played Meadow.”

“We hustled from the tip off to the final buzzer. Monday night in Abernathy we were up and down. At least we were up enough in the final quarter for the win.”

Brittney Mendoza led the Lady Mules against Plainview with seven points. Marissa Reyes finished with six points and Karla Bustillos dropped in four. Yasmine Sandoval and Jasmine Garza made three points each. Desi Gutierrez finished with two points and Imelda Salcido chipped in one point.

Garza set the scoring pace for the Lady Mules against Hale Center with 10 points. Gutierrez added three points. Mendoza, Bustillos, Sandoval, Reyes, Hallie Myatt and Paulette Landeros chipped in two points each.

Landeros led the way against Meadow with eight points. Garza, Mendoza and Gutierrez dropped in seven points each. Sandoval and Reyes pumped in six points each. Bustillos added four points, Salcido scored three points and Myatt chipped in two points in the winning effort.

Garza drove the baseline for the first hoop of the game against Abernathy and Gutierrez scored from the free throw line for a 4-0 Lady Mule lead two and half minutes into the game. The Lady Lopes battled back to with in one point before Garza dished to Mendoza on the base line for a hoop.

Landeros made a long pass to Marilyn Melendez to finish a break and end the first period with the Lady Mules leading 8-5.

Gutierrez nailed a 3-point shot from the right wing with two and half minutes remaining in the first half. Garza and Melendez made a free throw each to end the half with the Lady Mules on top of Abernathy 20-16.

Mendoza pushed the ball ahead to Reyes for a hoop on a fast break in the third period to extend the Lady Mule lead to 28-18 with six minutes left in the third period. The Lopes went on an 11-point run to pass the Lady Mules. Mendoza put the Lady Mules back on top 30-29 to end the quarter.

Garza stuck back a rebound to open the final period. After a four-point run Garza scored to put the Lady Mules back on top 34-33 with four minutes left on the clock. Sandoval stole a Lope’ inbound pass and scored to give the Lady Mules a cushion.

The Lopes did not go away but pulled back to trail 36-35 with time running down. Sandoval hit from 15 feet before Abernathy missed a pair from the free-throw line but made one-of-two charity tosses in the bonus.

Reyes spun on the free-throw line and drove the lane for a hoop. The Lopez made a free throw to make it a three-point game with 35 seconds left. Gaza finished a fast break to seal the game for the Lady Mules.

Gaza led the Lady Mules with 11 points against Abernathy. Reyes was a point behind with 10 points. Gutierrez dropped in all eight of her points in the first three periods and Mendoza finished with six points. Sandoval scored four points and Melendez chipped in three points.

The Lady Mules finish the 2014 portion of their season on the road. They traveled to Hale Center December 2 and play Lubbock High December 5. December 9 the Lady Mules will play in Floydada against the Lady Winds.

The Lady Mules are scheduled to play in the Abernathy Antelope Tournament December 11-13 and will be in Acuff to play the Lubbock Roosevelt Lady Eagles December 16 to wrap up 2014. The Lady Mules will host the Bovina Mustangs January 6 to kickoff the 2015 part of the season.