Taft Pulls Another Inside Job : Toreadors Rout North Hollywood Again, Win Tournament

The Taft High basketball team spent Saturday night inside at North Hollywood High.

No, the Toreadors didn’t just come in from the cold. They were inside the Husky defense, which is right where North Hollywood Coach Steve Miller didn’t want them.

For the second time this season, the Toreadors routed North Hollywood, this time by a score of 82-59 in the championship game of the North Hollywood tournament.

“The penetration had a lot to do with it,” Taft Coach Jim Woodard said. “That’s any team’s game plan.”

Miller was aware before the game that in order to win, the Huskies would have to contain Taft on the offensive boards.

“That’s what they did last time,” Miller said. “They got one and sometimes two shots.”

This time the Toreadors got three or four. They picked up more garbage than a juvenile on Saturday detention. Center Lamont Koonce scored a career-high 19 points, mostly from close range.

Taft (6-1) took a 15-14 lead at the end of the first quarter on a layup by guard Dedan Thomas. Thomas, who was voted the tournament MVP, finished with 17 points.

North Hollywood (5-2) spent the evening trying to cool off the Toreadors’ fast break. After building a 68-51 lead midway through the third quarter, Taft ran off 10 points in a row.

Quincy Watts, who scored 17 points, made consecutive layups and Thomas entertained the fans with an impressive reverse layup.

Chatsworth 66, El Camino Real 56--Junior guard Rick Garrick scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Chancellors in the third-place game.

Granada Hills 90, Grant 86 (OT)--The Highlanders came from behind to win the consolation championship. Junior center Alvin Brown led Granada Hills with 28 points and 17 rebounds.