Taft is 1-7 against Harlan since December of 2020 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Saturday. The Taft Raiders will host the Harlan Hawks at 12:30 p.m.
It's never fun to lose, and it's even less fun to lose 75-32, which was the final score in Taft's tilt against Sotomayor on Saturday. While losing is never fun, the Raiders can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Texas basketball rankings (they are ranked 890th, while the WILDCATS are ranked 117th).
Despite their loss, Taft saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Avah Castillo, who posted 12 points, was perhaps the best of all. Another player making a difference was Alcy Lavigne, who had nine points and five rebounds.
Meanwhile, it was a Battle of the Birds when Harlan faced off against Stevens on Saturday. Harlan claimed a resounding 58-11 win over Stevens. That 47 point margin sets a new team best for the Hawks this season.
Taft better keep an eye on Jaliyah Graham. She was instrumental in Harlan's win, almost dropping a double-double on 15 points and nine rebounds. Graham has been hot for a while, having also posted two or more steals the last 13 times she's played. Jazelle Scott was another key player, putting up seven points along with five boards and four steals.
Harlan smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 22 offensive boards. That's the most offensive rebounds they've posted since back in January.
This is the second loss in a row for Taft and nudges their season record down to 9-15. As for Harlan, their victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 9-10.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Taft has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 31.9 boards per game. However, it's not like Harlan struggles in that department as they've been averaging 25.9 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Taft ended up a good deal behind Harlan when the teams last played back in January, losing 42-26. Can Taft avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
