SALADO — The Taylor Ducks varsity boys basketball team dropped a 66-51 road contest to the Salado Eagles on Friday, Jan. 23, at Salado High School.
Sophomore guard Markell Fitzgerald led all scorers with 24 points, finishing 9-of-22 from the field in a strong individual effort. Junior forward Landon Coulter added 11 points, while Braylon Rivers chipped in nine.
The game opened as a back-and-forth battle, with the teams tied 6-6 early in the first quarter after Rivers knocked down a 3-pointer. Rivers was efficient from the floor, shooting 4-of-7 on the night.
Taylor began to gain momentum later in the period, going on a 9-4 run to take a 15-10 lead. Coulter capped the surge by draining a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Ducks a 20-12 advantage heading into the second quarter.
Momentum shifted quickly in the second period, however, as Taylor struggled with shot selection and turnovers. The Ducks managed just two points in the quarter and were outscored 16-2, allowing Salado to take a 28-22 lead into halftime.
The offensive drought continued early in the second half, with Taylor scoreless for the first few minutes of the third quarter. Fitzgerald finally broke the run with a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 34-25.
Salado responded with a 9-6 run to extend its lead to 43-31, but the Ducks briefly closed the gap late in the third quarter. Coulter connected from beyond the arc to make it 43-34 with 2:40 remaining in the period.
That would be as close as Taylor would get the rest of the way. Salado closed the game strong, outscoring the Ducks 23-17 down the stretch to secure the win.
Taylor struggled offensively overall, shooting just 35% from the field. Rebounding proved to be a major factor, as the Ducks were outrebounded 48-22, leading to numerous secondchance opportunities for the Eagles.
With the loss, Taylor fell to 13-12 overall and 1-5 in district play, dealing a blow to its postseason hopes. The Ducks faced Lampasas on Wednesday and will return home to host Gateway Preparatory on Friday, Jan. 30, with tipoff set for 6:30 p.m.
