By MARK SALUKI
Tribune sportswriter

Hoping to improve on last year’s impressive 20-5 finish, the Taylor girls basketball team began the journey Friday night in their season opener with a commanding 89-31 win over North Miami.

 
The Lady Titans controlled the game from the beginning, and while an explosive offensive performance had seemed certain, it was a smothering defense that buried the Lady Warriors early. North Miami could find no way to break through the Lady Titans vicious full court press, turning the ball over 24 times in the first half while scoring only seven points.
“I was very pleased with the way we played defensively tonight,” Taylor head coach Dennis Bentzler said. “I just couldn’t be happier at this stage as far as the overall performance tonight. Obviously being the first game, there are still some kinks to work out, but we just played so well on both ends -  defensively and the way we distributed the ball on offense. I was just very pleased with the way we played overall tonight, very unselfishly.
 

On the offensive end, the Lady Titans exhibited their unselfish play with a balanced scoring attack, with four players hitting double digits. Senior Morgan McWhorter led the Titans in scoring, finishing with 21 points in her first action in over a year after sitting out last season with an injury.

 
“Morgan’s such a contributor out there on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively” Bentzler said."

Senior Jamie Dunlap finished the game with 16 points for the Titans. Brianne Christophel scored 14 and Jackie Lasley added 10. Brittni Oliver rounded out the starting five with nine points.

 
“Our four guards complement each other so well and we had Brianne Christophel playing good in the middle,” Bentzler said.

I think they get us off to such a good start and then the rest of the team just sort of follows suit.

Bentzler said he was particularly impressed with contributions from some of the younger players, pointing out the performances of freshmen Liz Mamaril and Terri Oliver. Oliver scored eight points off the bench in her first varsity action.