TAYLOR LEADS THE WAY FOR WOLF BOYS
By Marc Atwood
marcatwood@aol.com
 
(2/6/08 Chico, CA) The Shasta boys' varsity basketball team got 27 points and 10 rebounds from Ryan Taylor as they took a 56-45 win over Pleasant Valley in an Eastern Athletic League game played Wednesday at Varley Gym.
 
Taylor opened up the Wolves' scoring by making a shot with 7:01 remaining in the first quarter. A bucket by Sam Harvey with 5:37 to go in the first accounted for the Vikings' first points. Michael Marossy hit a hoop with 3:36 left in the period to give Shasta an 8-3 lead. A basket and a free throw by Hollen O'Kelley with 2:21 to go brought PV within a point at 10-9.
 
Taylor connected on a basket 25 seconds into the second quarter as the Wolves took a 16-11 lead. Harvey made a shot 28 seconds later for the Vikings' first score of the period. Marossy hit a bucket with 3:34 left in the first half to give Shasta a 24-16 lead. Pleasant Valley reached 20 points on O'Kelley's hoop with 2:26 to go until halftime.
 
Sean Reynolds made a basket 22 seconds into the third quarter to bring the Vikings within four points at 28-24. Taylor hit a shot 30 seconds later as the Wolves reached the 30-point mark. A three from O'Kelley with four minutes to go in the third brought PV within two points at 34-32. Griffin Freed made a hoop with 41 seconds left in the period as Shasta took the lead back at 38-37.
 
A basket and a free throw by Chris Coleman 37 seconds into the fourth quarter put Shasta out in front again at 41-39. Reynolds hit a shot with 5:34 remaining in the game as the Vikings were down 42-41. Taylor made a bucket with 3:28 left in the contest to put the Wolves up 46-43. Anthony Moore hit a pair of free throws with 1:02 left to give Shasta a 51-43 advantage.
 
Besides Taylor's performance, the Wolves also received 10 points and four rebounds from Marossy and nine points and seven rebounds from Freed. O'Kelley led the Vikings with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Anthony Carter scored nine points.