Katy Taylor girls topple Memorial 51-30 in 19-5A play

The losses keep Katy Taylor coach Carlos Villafone up at night, and his team’s surprising setback to Memorial in the first round of district was like a 30-year-old innerspring mattress.

But the Lady Mustangs didn’t make Villafone count sheep Friday night.

Taylor jumped on Memorial early and used a dominant first half to build a 20-point lead en route to a 51-30 win at Taylor in a key District 19-5A showdown.

“No doubt it stuck with us,” Villafone said. “We didn’t talk about it any after we left that gym a couple weeks back, but I could see it this week coming into practice. They were focused and ready.”

Memorial led 4-2 two minutes into the first quarter, then didn’t score another basket the rest of the period as Taylor turned up its pressure defense, making it difficult for Memorial even to inbound the ball.

Early run

Taylor (27-6, 8-1) used an 11-1 run to close the first quarter up 13-5, then held Memorial to six points in the second quarter for a 31-11 halftime edge.

“The last three or four games, people have been jumping on us, so it was nice to see the girls come out focused, and not just with good energy but with execution,” Villafone said.

Amanda Jungwirth had 11 of her 15 points in a one-sided first half. Taylor hit twice as many field goals (12 to five), grabbed twice as many boards (20 to nine) and forced twice the turnovers (11 to five).

“We just didn’t have our focus,” Memorial coach Jyusef Larry said, “and we didn’t do the things that we’ve been doing all year.”

Memorial (13-15, 6-4) slowed Taylor’s offense in the second half but couldn’t hit enough shots to climb out of the hole. It was just 12-of-42 from the floor and trailed by as many as 24 points.

Kirby McDaniel (13 points) hit back-to-back 3-pointers late in the third, but it was too little, too late, and second-leading scorer Ellen Anderson went scoreless (0-of-6).

Logan Johnson had a game-high 16 points and six steals to lead Taylor. She was particularly disruptive on defense, turning several steals into easy layups.

“Her anticipation is tremendous,” Villafone said. “Her ability to shoot the lanes and then finish on the back end is a big deal.”

Keeping its lead

Taylor’s win kept it one game ahead of Cinco Ranch atop the district standings, and the two teams meet next week. Taylor won the 17-5A championship last season and Cinco won the previous five titles.

“Despite the success we’ve had, it’s funny that it just comes back down to us and Cinco next Tuesday,” Villafone said.

And Jungwirth, a standout senior, would like to go out as a champion.

“We really want the district title,” she said. “We’re going to push hard for it.”