Taft Cares Just Enough to Get 17th Straight

Ho-hum. Taft High wins again.

As the winning streak grows, so too does the nonchalant attitude of the Toreadors, who cruised to their 17th straight victory, 61-53, over host Granada Hills on Wednesday in a West Valley League boys’ basketball game.

The demeanor and enthusiasm of the Toreadors never changed whether they were up by 12 points or nursing a two-point lead.

“We were very confident,” said senior center Gregg Guenther, who finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

As long as freshman Steve Smith scores in bunches, like he did again Wednesday with 20 points, Taft will win many more than it loses.

But even Guenther admits that Taft’s winning streak has lulled the Toreadors into a false sense of security.

“In a sense it could hurt us. . . to be overconfident,” Guenther said.

Taft (17-1, 7-0 in league) hasn’t lost since its opener against Pasadena Marshall in November.

Although Taft has been tested twice by Granada Hills and once by Cleveland in league play, the competitive fire that once burned bright in the Toreadors seems to be diminishing with every victory.

“They lack intensity in practice. They’re just going through the motions,” Coach Mark Drucker said. “They’re not as focused or intense as they should be.”

Even after being outrebounded, 26-13, in the first half, the Toreadors looked relaxed as they filed out of the locker room. So relaxed, in fact, most starters took a seat on the bench and did not shoot before the start of the second half.

“You look at the Lakers who had won all these games and then lost five of seven,” Drucker said. “We don’t want what happened to the Lakers to happen to us.”

If only Granada Hills could have pulled off the upset. . .

“It might have reestablished our focus,” Guenther said.

But Granada Hills (11-11, 3-4), which trailed by one point at halftime, was again hurt by poor shooting. The Highlanders shot just 32% from the field.

“We just can’t seem to put the ball in the hole right now,” Coach Lou Cicciari said.

“We shoot about 30% and when you can only put the ball in the hole one in three times, you’re not going to beat anybody.”

Except for the opening minute, Granada Hills always trailed.

Andrew Phongsamran had a chance to get the Highlanders within two points with 5:45 left in the first half, but couldn’t convert a three-point play after being fouled on a baseline jumper.

Taft responded with a 6-0 run for a 28-19 lead, but went scoreless in the final 4:11. Granada Hills scratched out eight points to get within, 28-27, at intermission.

Granada Hills, kept alive with bushels of offensive rebounds, cut a 12-point deficit to six in a two-minute span late in the fourth quarter.

But Guenther buried 12- and 10-foot jumpers on consecutive possessions for a 56-46 lead with 1:22 remaining.

Ryan Hicks scored 15 points, Jorge Price had 14 and Midwin Francis had 23 rebounds and six points for Granada Hills.