7th Lady Mules vs. Idalou (1-15-2018)

7^th Lady Mules vs. Idalou (1-15-2018)

The seventh grade Lady Mules came back from a six-point deficit after the first period to defeat the Idalou Lady Cats 20-18.

“This was a long overdue win for us,” said Lady Mule coach, Jalissa King. “The first time we played Idalou we lost by five points. The second time, which was Thursday in the Levelland Tournament, we lost by one on a buzzer shot. Today was a hard-earned victory.”

Raelee Garza got the Lady Mules started on their way back with a shot from the blocks. Araceli Diaz put back an offensive rebound to cut the Idalou lead to 4-6. Diaz saw Kylie Hernandez open on the blocks and passed her the ball for the game-tying hoop.

Kassie Kelley made a free throw to briefly put the Lady Mules on top. Idalou took a 10-7 lead with 40 seconds left to play before the intermission. Diaz blocked out and pulled down an offensive rebound that she immediately put back to cut the Lady Cat lead to 9-10 at the half.

Kelley fought through a foul to score the Lady Mules first hoop of the third quarter. She put back an offensive rebound to put the Lady Mules on tip halfway through the third period.

Kelley was selected to shoot the technical foul called on Idalou. She made one of the charity shots. Idalou scored the next six points to take an18-14 lead into the final period.

The Lady Mule defense held Idalou scoreless in the final period. Hernandez drained an eight-foot jump shot for the first basket of the final period. Hernandez sank a point-blank shot with 2:20 to go in the game. She then sank a 16-foot jumper as time ran out to win the game.

Hernandez paced the Lady Mules with eight points. Kelley added six points, and Diaz made four points. Garza chipped in two points. Others contributing to the win were Diaz with seven rebounds and Aaliyah Sanchez with six assists.

The seventh-grade B-team lost to Idalou 17-15. Zabry Haseloff and Naomi Muniz each made four points in the contest.

“We were down by seven points at the start of the fourth quarter,” continued Coach King. “We played a really strong fourth period, but still fell short by two points. The last time we played this team we lost by eight points. Our girls played really hard until the very end.”

The previous weekend the Lady Mules had played in the Levelland Tournament. Thursday evening the Lady Mules fell to Idalou 40-39 on a buzzer beater.

Hernandez led the Lady Mules with 12 points. Diaz added nine points, and Ashton Hardwick dropped in six points. Garza and Kassie Kelley had five points each.

“This was a close game from beginning to the end,” said Coach King. “It was a tough one to lose, but we learned some important basketball lessons.” 

Saturday morning the Lady Mules took their frustrations out on the Roosevelt Lady Eagles. The Lady Mules clipped the Lady Eagles’ wings 49-9.

Nautica Mills led the Lady Mules with 11 points. Hardwick and Hernandez added 10 points each. Diaz had nine points, and Sanchez made eight points.

The Lady Mules defeated the Littlefield Lady Cats 54-16 to claim the Consolation trophy. Hernandez paced the Lady Mules with 18 points. Kassie Kelley added 10 points, and Sanchez had nine points.

The Lady Mules hosted the Dimmitt Bobbies Monday afternoon and will travel to Slaton January 29. The Lady Mules will return home for their final game February 5 when they will host the Friona Maidens.