Lady Mules vs. Morton & Anton (11-18 & 21-2014)

Lady Mules vs. Morton & Anton (11-18 & 21-2014)

The Lady Mules’ Run-n-Gun Offense took its toll on the Morton Maidens Tuesday night. The fouls began to mount up on the Maidens and forced them to back off on defense. The Lady Mules used those opening to put the Maidens away 65-44.

It was more of the same Tuesday when the Anton Lady Dawgs visited the New Muleshoe High School Gym. The game was close at the half with the Dawgs leading 22-21. But the second half turned in favor of the Lady Mules with Conley Niblett owning the lane and the Lady Mules nailed the door shut on the Dawgs from the free throw line for a 53-41 win.

Morton sank a 3-pointer to open the game. Sydnie Sudduth led a fast break down the floor for a basket. Shenice Rosas was fouled shooting on the next trip down the floor and made one-of-two free throws to tie the game at 3-3.

Daniela Diaz answered a Maiden hoop by driving from the left side of the lane and made the left-handed lay up to keep the game tied. The teams traded a free throw each with Rosas making one for the Lady Mules.

Morton scored from the free throw line but Sadie Sudduth drove on a fast break and when the Maiden stepped over to defend her Sa. Sudduth dished the ball to Reagan Reynolds for the hoop and the first Lady Mule lead with three minutes left in the first period.

Sa. Sudduth was fouled shooting on the next Lady Mule fast break and made a free throw. Morton tied the game but D. Diaz was fouled in the back court and made both ends of the one and one opportunity.

Sasha Esparza made two hoops in the final 30 seconds of the first period to give the Lady Mules a 16-13 lead after one period.

The Lady Mules added two points to their lead during the second quarter. Sy. Sudduth, Angie Perez and D. Diaz each dropped in a 3-pointer. The Lady Mules led 31-26 at the intermission.

Morton began to lose more ground to the Lady Mules in the third period as the foul count began to add up and key Maiden players were forced to sit. The Lady Mules out scored the Maiden 19-11 to extend their margin to 50-37 with eight minutes of basketball remaining to play.

Sa. Sudduth dropped in a 3-pointer from the top of the key. D. Diaz made her second charity toss of the period before Sa. Sudduth was fouled in the back court. She made both the charity toss and the bonus to put the Lady Mules up 57-38 with 3:40 left in the game.

D. Diaz dished to Sa. Sudduth to finish a fast break and Esparza put back a rebound. D. Diaz scored from the blocks and Esparza finished a fast break to end the scoring.

D. Diaz led the Lady Mules in scoring with 19 points. She made one trey, four hoops and was eight-of-11 from the foul line. Sy. Sudduth dropped in two treys and finished with 14 points. Sa. Sudduth and Esparza scored 10 points each. Reynolds added five points, Angie Perez made three points and Yvonne Diaz and Rosas chipped in two points each.

Niblett spun on the blocks and shot over her defender for the two points of the game against Anton. The Dawgs answered with a 3-pointer. Niblett made a post-to-post pass and Rosas scored. D. Diaz answered a Dawg free throw with a charity toss before Anton went on a five-point run to take a 9-5 lead with 2:30 remaining in the first period.

Perez passed to Sy. Sudduth cutting to the hoop for a basket. Perez connected with Y. Diaz on the next trip down the floor for a hoop to tie the game at 9-9. Anton broke the tie with a trey to lead the Lady Mules 12-9 to start the second period.

The Dawgs out scored the Lady Mules 7-4 to start the second period. The Lady Mules battled back Niblett putting back an offensive rebound and Y. Diaz set a screen for Diaz to drive around for a left-handed lay up.

Niblett was dominating the paint on both ends of the floor and scored to tie the game at 19-19 with 2:47 left in the first half. D. Diaz put the Lady Mules on top but Anton made three free throws before the half ended to claim a 22-21 at the intermission.

Sa. Sudduth fed Niblett in the paint to start the third quarter. Sa. Sudduth fed the ball to Niblett on the next trip down the floor as Niblett broke to the hoop for a score. D. Diaz finished a fast break to give the Lady Mules a 27-22 lead with 6:30 left in the third period.

Anton battled back with two sets of free throws and a hoop. D. Diaz ended the Dawg scoring run with a 3-pointer from the right wing. Sa. Sudduth made one free throw and Sy. Sudduth made two charity tosses. Sy. Sudduth made a half-court pass to Y. Diaz streaking down the floor for a lay up.

Anton made a trey to hang in the game Sa. Sudduth grabbed a loose ball and drove the floor for a hoop. Perez passed to Reynolds on the blocks for a hoop. The Lady Mules led 39-33 with eight minutes left in the game.

The Lady Mules made eight of 14 from the charity line in the final period. Niblett shot and missed in the paint but kept the ball alive and grabbed the rebound and put it back up on the glass for a hoop. On the next trip down the floor Niblett drove the lane for a lay up and the win.

Anton scored 17 of 23 free throws, four treys and only six hoops in the game. The Lady Mules made 12 of 23 free throws, one 3-pointer and 19 two-pointers during the fray.

Niblett had been shut out in Morton due to foul trouble but led the Lady Mules with 16 points against Anton. D. Diaz added 10 points and Y. Diaz and Sy. Sudduth dropped in eight points each. Rosas scored five points, Sa. Sudduth made four points and Reynolds chipped in two points.

The Lady Mules traveled to Abernathy on Monday night. They will stay on the road with games in Hale Center, December 2, Lubbock High, December 5, and Floydada, December 9.

They are scheduled to play in the Abernathy Antelope Tournament December 11-13 and then at Lubbock Roosevelt December 16. The Lady Mules will play in the Texico Tournament December 29-31 and will start the New Year by hosting the Bovina Lady Mustangs January 6.