CINCINNATI — After losing in heartbreaking fashion in the final four last year, Taft High School is ready to get its revenge this year.
What You Need To Know
- Taft lost to Worthington Christian on a buzzer beater last year in the state semifinal game
- After that loss, teammates on Taft came up with the idea of a revenge tour
- Coach DeMarco Bradley liked the idea and kept the theme going throughout the year to motivate his players
- Now, the team is back in the state semi-finals and hope to make it to the state championship game
Being on the wrong end of a buzzer beater is one of the worst ways to lose a game, and it is exactly what ended Taft’s season in the final four in 2021.
“In that game, [Worthington Chirstian] hit a last-second shot, and it was crazy, because I thought we had the game in the bag but he hit a last-second shot,” said Rayvon Griffith, a junior on Taft’s boys basketball team. “And we started the revenge tour right after he hit that shot, really.”
A year later, and the team hasn’t forgotten. Mekhi Elmore, a senior, couldn’t play in the tournament last year because of transfer rules, but he said the image of the last shot motivated him since.
Mekhi Elmore works on his defensive slides in practice. (Katie Kapusta/Spectrum News 1)
“Just seeing them on the floor after the shot, after the buzzer beater, it motivated me to push harder and push my teammates harder for this season,” Elmore said.
Which is why he and Griffith came up with the idea of a “revenge tour.”
“I came up with it as soon as I got home, right after the final four game,” Griffith said. “Everybody just hopped on board with it. We just took it from there.”
Rayvon Griffith gets ready to receive a pass in practice. (Katie Kapusta/Spectrum News 1)
“Rayvon and Mekhi just came in and said ‘coach, next year we’re going to have a revenge tour,'” Taft Coach DeMarco Bradley said.
Bradley kept the revenge tour as a theme all year.
He said while the loss still stings, the experience from being in the final four has helped his team get ready for this year’s run.
Taft Coach DeMarco Bradley observes a drill during practice. (Katie Kapusta/Spectrum News 1)
“I just feel very, very prepared because this team has been there,” Bradley said. “Last year, I had a lot of guys, first year. This year is a little different.”
For this team, especially seniors like Brandon Cromer, ending the season with a win would mean everything.
“I’m ready to get back and win it this time ’cause I already won the regionals, so it’s, like, I want to go out and win states this year,” Cromer said.
Taft plays Cleveland Heights Lutheran East in the Division III state semifinal on Friday at 2 p.m. at UD Arena.
