The Taylor Ducks boys' varsity basketball team came up short in a 60-52 loss to the Bastrop Bears on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Senior forward Eli Laurence led the Ducks with 22 points, but his efforts were not enough as the Bears offense surged.
Senior guard TJ Whybrew also delivered an impressive performance, sinking six 3-pointers in the first half and finishing with 20 points. However, Laurence and Whybrew were the only Ducks to score in double digits, as Taylor struggled to find additional offensive production.
Taylor held a narrow 11-10 lead after the first quarter, but Bastrop quickly regained the advantage at the start of the second period, going up 12-11. The Bears followed with a 5-0 run, forcing the Ducks into a 17-11 deficit.
Both teams traded scores throughout the second quarter, with Taylor trailing 31-22 at halftime. The Ducks mounted a comeback in the third quarter, cutting the lead to 42-39, but ultimately fell short as Bastrop closed the game with an 18-13 run. Senior forward Kylon Harris added seven points for Taylor.
The Ducks will aim to bounce back when they face Jarrell on Dec. 20 before hosting Lexington on Friday, Dec. 27, at 9 a.m.
