MARBLE FALLS – The Taylor Ducks varsity basketball team saw its slim playoff hopes come to an end Friday night in a heartbreaking 45-44 loss to the Marble Falls Bulldogs on Feb. 6.
Sophomore guard Markell Fitzgerald jump-started the Ducks’ offense early, accounting for Taylor’s first eight points.
Fitzgerald knocked down two 3-pointers and added a fast-break layup to tie the game at 8-8 in the second quarter. He finished with a gamehigh 17 points on 6-of-17 shooting.
Marble Falls responded with an 8-0 run later in the second quarter to seize control. Taylor trailed 24-13 at halftime, with senior Kadrien Deary closing the half with a fast-break layup.
Deary helped spark a Ducks rally in the third quarter, opening the period with a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 26-16. He later forced a steal that led to a wideopen layup, trimming the lead to 28-23. Deary finished with 11 points on 3-of-12 shooting.
Fitzgerald continued to keep Taylor within striking distance, hitting a 3-pointer with 2:50 remaining in the third quarter to make it 32-28. He followed with another shot from beyond the arc with one minute left in the period, pulling the Ducks within three at 34-31.
Taylor would get within one point late in the fourth quarter, but Marble Falls held on down the stretch to secure the one-point victory.
Junior forward Landon Coulter added 12 points for the Ducks. Taylor shot 33% from the field, while Marble Falls finished at 36%.
The Ducks will close out the 2025-26 season with a road game at Salado on Tuesday before hosting Jarrell on Friday, Feb. 13, at 7:30 p.m.
