TAFT, CA- The 2024-2025 Women's Basketball season will officially begin this Saturday, November 2 for the Taft College Lady Cougars. They will have their season home opener against a familiar opponent, Los Angeles Trade Technical College. Last season, the Cougars broke even splitting with the Beavers away and in neutral territory. It is believed Los Angeles Trade Tech will be visiting the Al Baldock Cougar Sports Center in Taft for the first time.
Last season, our Women's Basketball team had their first winning season and found themselves in the second round of the state playoffs in 15 years. They also were the #1 team in the state across all divisions with the best turnaround record. Under then first year Head Coach Romeo Lagmay, Jr., the Lady Cougars also found themselves state ranked for the first time in 15 years. Not only were these major feats accomplished during basketball season, but the Taft College Women's Basketball program was nationally recognized as having the #6 highest team grade point average by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
Coach Lagmay hopes to build on his second year even further. He is no stranger to the profession as he entering his 18th year as a collegiate Head Women's Basketball Coach and will better establish our black and gold as a solid and successful program. Coach Lagmay believes this year's team will be just as surprising as last year's, "I've got a good feeling for how our opponents look stemming from what we did last year. Technically, we overachieved last year, but we actually underachieved because we had moments of skyrocketing record-breaking games. We were all new last year. This past spring and summer I recruited a hardcore bunch of athletes who can hoop, but unfortunately that died down by the time school started. The players I have now are fully committed. They have my heart and dedication. I am devoted to seeing their growth and what we can accomplish together. I'm ready for Cougar Country to witness this team's hard work and effort to represent Taft College."
Five sophomores return and we have welcomed seven freshmen. Guard/forward Mary Pahukoa (Maui, HI) leads the sophomores as a returning part-time starter who is well-known for her ferocious on ball defense and power down low. Forward Amaya Payne (Las Vegas, NV) saw quality minutes as a solid rebounder and second chance point threat offensively. Shooting guard Kahree Horton (Boise, ID) will return as a much-improved sharpshooter from beyond the arc after an outstanding display from recent scrimmages according to Lagmay. Alyah Blackwater (Monument Valley, UT) also has solid shooting range, but is good in the open court, as well. Rounding out the forward/center spot is Aaliyah Tidwell who is poised to be a solid on-ball screener and rebounder.
Incoming freshmen include in- and out-of-state talent. Coach Lagmay went down the road and was highly keen on reeling in Bakersfield West High School's standout Mikayla Villalobos. Villalobos will position herself as a combo guard who can do a little of everything with impact motives. Colorado state natives Ella Waufle and Madyn Kassatly are expected to do some major damage in the front and back courts. Waufle and Kassatly hail from a very successful high school where they flourished in high octane defense and rebounding. Waufle will be expected to lead the charge as a point guard. Kassatly will rake down rebounds and attack the rim drawing fouls. Cougar Nation will get a chance to see Oakland's finest in center Alesha Gordon from Castlemont High School. Gordon is brute strength in the paint and will hold down the fort ripping down almost every rebound! Bakersfield yielded defensive aggressors in Tiara Jackson (Foothill HS) and Shantiana Alvarez (Frontier HS). Jackson is a great deflector and pass interceptor, while Alvarez will be a pest defending in the back court. Late summer recruit will be Faith Wilson (Valrico, FL) who played for a state ranked high school program. Wilson will float around from different guard positions as she possesses the athletic ability to knock down a mid-range shot to finishing at the rim, all while bringing tenacious on-ball defense.
Taft College will play at 3:00 p.m. this Saturday and next Wednesday, November 6 against cross town rival Bakersfield College at 6:00 p.m. All games will be played at the Al Baldock Cougar Sports Center in Taft.