8th Mules vs. MJHS Trny (1-28 & 30-2016)

8^th Mules vs. MJHS Trny (1-28 & 30-2016)

The eighth grade Mules played for the championship of the their own tournament but had to settle for second place. The Mules defeated the Olton Colts on Friday but no information was available for that game.

The Mules defeated the Littlefield seventh grade 52-23 Saturday morning to qualify for the championship game with the Littlefield eighth grade. When the dust settled the Mules fell 45-31.

Most of the Mules scored against the Littlefield seventh grade Cats. Hector Arras led the Mules with six points in the first period. Kelan Florez, Matthew Alarcon, Jimmy Villa, Jose Cardenas, Damian Juarez and Jacob Barron scored a hoop each. Eddie Vasquez chipped in a free throw for a 19-5 Mule lead.

Vasquez took over the second period for the Mules and scored 11 points. Juarez hit a pair of hoops and Villa hit one basket. The Mules led 36-11 at the half.

Juarez took over the third period with two hoops and a pair of free throws for six points. Cardenas and Florez made a basket each. The Mules led 46-12 with one period left to play.

Alarcon, Villa and Cristian Bustillos added a basket each in the final period.

Vasquez and Juarez led the way for the Mules with 12 points each. Arras and Villa finished with six points each. Florez, Cardenas and Alarcon added four points each. Bustillos and J. Barron chipped in two points each.

The Mules battled the Littlefield eighth grade Wildcats for three periods. In the final frame the Cats took over the game.

The Wildcats scored the first three points but Cardenas scored a lay up to start the Mules offense. The Cats scored with 25 seconds left in the first period to lead the Mules 7-4. Florez was fouled with five seconds left in the period and made both free throws.

Arras stole the Cats in bound pass and drove for two. The ball bounced on the rim until the buzzer sounded and the ball fell through the hoop. The Mules led 8-7 after one quarter.  

The Cats reeled off five unanswered points to take a 12-8 lead in the second period. Arras drove to the hoop for a lay up and Villa finished a fast break to tie the game at 12-12. Florez put back an offensive rebound with 40 seconds left in the half.

The Cats scored before Juarez made a free throw. The Cats made a trey just as the first half ended to lead the Mules 17-15.

Littlefield started the second half as they ended the first, with a 3-pointer. Juarez was fouled and made one free throw. Vasquez grabbed a loose ball and drove for two points. He then dropped in a trey to cut the Littlefield lead to 22-21 with three and half minutes left in the third quarter.

Arras drove the lane and fought through a foul for a lay up. He converted the free throw for an old-fashion three-point play. The third period ended with the Mules trailing 27-24.

The Cats took over in the final quarter to out score the Mules 18-7.

Juarez paced the Mules with nine points. Alarcon finished with seven points. Vasquez added five points and Florez and Arras made four points each. Villa chipped in two points for the Mules.

The Mules traveled to Littlefield for a return match with the Cats Monday afternoon. The Mules travel to Friona February 8 to play the Braves and return home February 15 to wrap up their season against the Shallowater Ponies.