Taylor knows they have what it takes to compete for a district title this year.

The Mustangs have the pieces they’ve come together and they have gained confidence all summer and fall, now early in the district schedule, things are truly starting to come together.

Taylor put together a full team performance for one of its biggest wins of the year on Friday, beating Tompkins 70-64 behind a very strong defensive performance in the second half.

“I thought our kids stepped up to the challenge and did a really good job,” said Taylor head coach Blair Ary. “Rihanna (DeLeon) is one of the best offensive players I have ever coached against, but our girls made sure to know where she was, didn’t leave here and doing everything they could to slow her down. We just played really good team defense tonight and giving up what we wanted to give up. I’m proud of the way we played on that end.”

Taylor came out and built a big lead in the first quarter, going up 21-11 behind a big quarter from Fiapaipaitufanuaitamalii Filoialii and Timya Grice, who both had nine points as the Mustangs came out fast and strong. Tompkins though, came back and trimmed the lead in the second quarter, with Taylor going into the half with a 36-34 lead.

“We’ve had slow starts at the beginnings of some of our games,” Filoialii said. “But we really have been working on that, we want to start of strong every game and today we played the way that we should. This game in the past has been a tough one for us and so we really wanted it today.”

It continued to be back and forth all game. Tompkins took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter, leading 53-52, but both teams traded baskets, until Taylor hit some clutch baskets down the stretch to increase their lead, eventually holding on for the win.

“We wanted to play inside out and take whatever Tompkins gave us out of the double team,” Ary said. “It wasn’t perfect but I thought our kids did a great job of being patient and waiting for what we wanted. It takes a team and it took everyone to get what we wanted and take this win tonight.”

The Mustangs are now winners of six in a row and will look to keep pace with the top of the district as they face Morton Ranch and Mayde Creek next.

“We talk about it every year and this year it’s the same, we can do this,” Filoialii said. “We can play with anybody. This team plays for each other, we play together and we find shots for the whole team. We’re all about being united and that makes us special.”

District 19-6A

Taylor 70, Tompkins 64

Points: (TA) Timya Grice 34, Fiapaipaitufanuaitamalii Filoialii 19, Mia Lopez 9, Casey Scherpereel 5, Kara Hart 3; (TO) Gabby Panter 21, Caitlyn D’Addieco 16, Rihanna DeLeon 9, Kate Hopkins 8, Sascha Coughran 8, Haylie Panter 2;

Halftime: Taylor 36-34, 3-Pointers: (TA) Lopez 2, Filoialii, Hart, Scherpereel; (TO) Panter 4, Coughran 2, DeLeon; Records: (TA) 15-2, 2-1 (TO) 12-4, 3-1