Centennial’s Taylor charts new title chase
Bulldogs basketball star hits volleyball court
Centennial senior Teon Taylor walked off the prep basketball court for the final time last month still devoid of a Class 4A state title.
He’ll walk back on the court this week, though, and try for the final time to win that oh-so elusive championship.
Not in basketball.
In his other sport — volleyball. Taylor, a 6-foot-6-inch middle blocker who helped the school’s boys volleyball team reach the Class 4A state semifinals in 2017, is ready for one final go-around with the Bulldogs.
They open their season Friday in the annual Las Vegas Invitational, and he figures they’ll vie for the state title. Again.
“If I doubted it, then why am I out here?” he said.
Point taken.
Fellow starters Farries Gardner and Justin Madsen are also back in the fold alongside Taylor, who grew up playing basketball and tried volleyball for the first time in the ninth grade.
The trio helped lead the Bulldogs to a 32-11 record last year and a berth in the Class 4A state playoffs, where they lost to state runner-up Las Vegas High.
“It was super humbling,” Taylor said. “It was very sad, but humbling. We had beat (them) before in the regular season. I think we just looked past them.”
There won’t be any of that this season.
Veteran coach Erik Davis hasn’t
tempered his expectations and said his players — without Taylor, a forward on the basketball team — played volleyball year-round to stay in shape and develop cohesion on
the court.
“They find opportunities to go play outside in the sand and the grass,” Davis explained. “Building that kind of team chemistry all year long really puts us at an advantage.”
Centennial has other advantages, too, namely its size.
Taylor and eight of his teammates are at least 6-feet tall, and Davis hopes the Bulldogs maximize their height.
And their experience.
“The kids are pumped,” Davis said. “They’re waiting all year long. They’re finally here. It’s time … They understand the expectations. My expectations. They understand the expectations that are already placed on them. They’re working to go out there and reach their potential.”
Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Bysamgordon on Twitter.