TAFT, CA- After defeating Allan Hancock College the night before in a milestone win, Taft College Women's Basketball may have thought they were in for an automatic victory against a winless 0-10 Los Angeles Trade Technical College team, but they were wrong. The Lady Beavers took care of business, and capsized the Lady Cougars into shock, accomplishing one of the biggest upsets in the 3C2A women's basketball season thus far. Taft came into the game 8-3, and clearly was the favorite. Apparently not.
LA Trade Tech led the whole game with only six players dressed out. It clearly seemed that Taft took a day off, and it cost them in the worst way. "I tip my hat off to Coach Perez and her ball club staying focused. They came to play, and that's what a team is supposed to do in every game. Prior to the game, I told the players that regardless of any team's record, there are upsets all the time. If they take this team lightly, they will lose. Any team that is winless is desperate and does whatever they can to beat up on a team that is nonchalant. All I can say is we got our whoopin' today," a disheartened Taft College Basketball Coach Romeo Lagmay, Jr. said.
Taft had 22 turnovers and Trade Tech converted into 22 points. Though Taft led in every other statistical category, their on-ball defense was horrid. The Cougars allowed Briana Cortes to score 37 points. Cortes only averages 9 points per game for the season. Teammate Diara McBroom recorded a double double with 23 points and 16 rebounds. It was only those two players that defeated the entire Taft team. There were only three other Beavers who scored 6 points apiece.
Celicia Enos had a team high of 23 points and 9 rebounds. Alizah Lara pumped in 13 points and had 8 rebounds. Jasmeen Lemons contributed 13 points. Yareli Gomez also had a team high of 9 rebounds.
Taft will resume play win they travel away for the College of San Mateo Crossover playing Santa Monica College on Friday at 5:00 pm and Shasta College the next day at 12:00 pm.