Recap: Shafter Generals vs. Taft Wildcats
The Shafter Generals's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Thursday after their third straight loss. They took a serious blow against Taft, falling 73-44. Shafter found out winning isn't easy when you don't work as a unit and rack up 12 fewer assists than your opponent.
Shafter lost despite a true team effort on the offense, the best among them being Aidan Cardenas, who scored nine points along with three steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Parker Valderrama , who scored nine points.
Even though they lost, Shafter were smashing the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Leading Taft to victory were Ernie Laulu and Blaine Neudorf. Laulu scored 22 points, while Neudorf dropped a double-double on 23 points and ten rebounds. That makes it 14 consecutive games in which Neudorf has scored at least 25% of Taft's points. Chase Phillips was another key contributor, scoring eight points along with nine rebounds and four blocks.
Shafter has not been sharp recently, as they've lost four of their last five games, which put a noticeable dent in their 7-8 record this season. As for Taft, the victory makes it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 10-8.
Coincidentally, the two teams will both be playing McFarland the next time they take the court. Shafter will host McFarland at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, while Taft will head out to face them at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
