Basketball Recap: Taft Comes Up Short

Taft lost against Lane Tech back in December of 2023 and unfortunately they wound up with the same result on Friday. The Taft Eagles were just a bucket shy of victory and fell 33-32 to the Lane Tech Champions. While losing is never fun, the Eagles can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Illinois basketball rankings (they are ranked 307th, while the Champions are ranked 114th).

Despite the loss, Taft still got an impressive performance from Gabriela Gonzalez, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and ten boards. That's the most rebounds Gonzalez has posted since back in November of 2023.

Lane Tech was led to victory by Vega Ransom-Marks and Grace Bush. Ransom-Marks dropped a double-double on ten points and 15 boards, while Bush posted 15 points and five rebounds. Ransom-Marks continues to improve, besting her previous point total in each of the last three games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Emily Rue, who put up two points in addition to seven boards and three steals.

Taft dropped their record down to 6-14 with the loss, which was their third straight at home. As for Lane Tech, the win made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 12-8.

Taft wasted no time getting back out on the court and has already played their next contest, a 56-34 defeat against Waukegan on the 17th. Lane Tech has also already played their next match, a 71-49 loss against Loyola Academy on the 18th.