The Taylor Ducks varsity boys basketball team continued its early-season surge Monday, Nov. 24, with a commanding 73–46 win over the Caldwell Hornets, improving to 2–0 on the season.
Senior guard Kadrien Dreary led Taylor on both ends of the floor, finishing with 24 points on 10-for-19 shooting to go along with eight assists. Dreary set the tone immediately, scoring the Ducks’ first five points to put Taylor ahead 5–2. Caldwell briefly closed the gap to 8–6, but senior Damont Carter answered with a 3-pointer that pushed the lead to 11–6.
Taylor built a 16–10 advantage after a fastbreak layup from Dreary late in the first quarter.
Caldwell responded early in the second, trimming the deficit to 16–14, but Dreary once again provided the answer with another 3-pointer that extended the Ducks’ lead to 19–14.
From there, Taylor began to pull away.
Sophomore Oakley Lenart knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to stretch the margin to 36–24, igniting a decisive run. Taylor closed the half strong and carried its momentum into the third quarter, eventually pushing the lead to 52–34 after a transition basket by sophomore guard Markell Fitzgerald. The Ducks controlled the game the rest of the way, using aggressive, disciplined defense to generate easy transition opportunities. Taylor outscored Caldwell 21–12 in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Fitzgerald and senior guard Braylen Rivers also reached double figures, scoring 10 points each. The Ducks shot an impressive 62 percent from the field, showcasing balanced offense and efficient ball movement.
With the victory, Taylor enters Thanksgiving break on a high note. The Ducks return to action on Tuesday, Dec. 2, when they travel to Giddings.
