BURBANK – Taft coaching legend Mark Drucker knew the pressure points: ball security, scoring, execution. The effort, he said, would be there. The execution would be tested.

Saint Genevieve arrived tested. A ten-game win streak to open the season ended with a loss to Santa Paula two days ago; a reminder they weren’t invincible. Head coach Andrew Bencze called it a wake-up call.

The opening minutes of last Monday’s contest in the West Coast Holiday Tournament, hosted by Burroughs, were messy. Turnovers on both sides. No points in the opening four minutes. Taft found life on the glass early, led by junior M’Ryah Williams grabbing three quick rebounds to keep the Toreadors afloat. Williams’ play embodied the Toreadors: relentless energy, sometimes out-of-control, always attacking.

The Valiants broke the deadlock when sophomore Crystal Rivera drilled a three. She followed with a reverse layup and an assist, igniting a 10-2 first-quarter edge. Rivera hit eight threes in the Santa Paula loss and made it clear again: she can score from anywhere.

The Toreadors briefly answered to open the second quarter, scoring the first four points. Then Rivera took over, swiping three steals, a pair of rebounds, two more deep threes, and a foul drawn beyond the arc. By halftime, the Valiants had seized control, 24-8.

Taft came out swinging after the break, scoring the first six and cut the gap to 24-14. Hustle swayed the momentum for the Toreadors. Junior Gabby Gilardi sparked a run with steals and rebounds. Williams stayed active on both ends. Taft posted its strongest quarter, trimming the deficit to 30-16 heading into the fourth.

Bencze wisely sat Rivera for the fourth. She finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 steals, and 4 TOs. The offensively challenged Toreadors still managed to win the second half 20-17, for the final 41-28 tally. It could have been closer, but for Freshman Emma Cuevas aggressive play.

The takeaway for Taft: the effort is undeniable. Rebounding and grit are there. A few fewer turnovers and a few more made shots could flip outcomes quickly. Drucker summed it up: “We just have a hard time getting into our offense. When we get into our offense, we get a good shot. Whether we make the shot is another story. But I’m proud of them. They played hard.” The Toreadors (5-8) ended their run at the tournament with a 36-22 loss to Notre Dame Academy and will open league play on January 14 against Birmingham.

For Saint Genevieve, the sluggish win raises a question. Who steps up next to Rivera? Cuevas showed up late with a pair of steals and drives to the basket, but the team will need consistent secondary scoring to succeed. Defensively, the Valiants aren’t physically imposing, so the offense must carry the load. If opponents can key in on Rivera, who becomes her Robin?

That question will continue to linger following two losses by a combined six points to close out the tournament. Saint Genevieve fell to the Grant Lancers 41-39 and the Cleveland Cavaliers 48-44.

“(Taft) did a good job of slowing us down and making us play half court, which we need to get better at, so that part was good for us,” Bencze reflected. “This is the process of getting better, sometimes it’s painful and with most of our team being freshman and sophomores, the learning curve is steep.” Valiants (11-3, 2-0) play Sacred Heart of Jesus on Tuesday.

all photos by David Martinez