Stevens is 9-1 against Taft since December of 2018, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Stevens Falcons will wrap up 2023 with a road trip to face off against the Taft Raiders at 11:30 a.m. Stevens is coming into the match on a six-game losing streak.
Last Thursday, Stevens came up short against Harlan and fell 52-41. While losing is never fun, Stevens can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Texas basketball rankings (they are ranked 680th, while Harlan is ranked 163rd).
Despite the loss, Stevens got a solid performance out of Mya Guzman, who scored 18 points. Giana Monda was another key contributor, scoring nine points.
Meanwhile, Taft's recent rough patch got a bit rougher last Tuesday after their third straight loss. They were outmatched by O'Connor at home and fell 71-35. Taft was in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 41-15.
Stevens has not been sharp recently, as they've lost eight of their last nine matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 7-12 record this season. As for Taft, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-15.
Stevens took their win against Taft in their previous meeting back in February by a conclusive 60-35. With Stevens ahead 32-8 at the half, the game was all but over already.
