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PASADENA — The Taft boys basketball team was loaded with talent in the summer, highlighted by Giovanni Goree, Keyon Kensie and AJ Johnson. In June, local pundits and prep basketball gurus were pegging the Toreadors as the team to beat in the City Section.
It all changed so fast.
When the fall semester started, none of them were enrolled at Taft. Goree checked into Heritage Christian. Johnson and Kensie went to Donda Academy.
But that changed fast, too. Kensie checked back into Taft in November.
“When Keyon came back, winning a City title became a reality,” coach Derrick Taylor said. “We started so badly, but Keyon came back and the team bought in. They believed and I believed in them.”
The belief in one another helped to forge a season to remember and a City Section Open Division final victory over Fairfax, 64-62, at Pasadena City College Saturday night. It also gave Taylor his fourth career City title and first since 2011.
“It’s been more than a decade,” Taylor said laughing. “But it’s good. I’m happy. I’m happy for the kids.”
Kensie, the 6-foot-7 dynamic senior wing, led the Toreadors with 21 points.
“Coach always reminded me that I was welcome back,” Kensie said of his decision to come back to Taft. “He helped me a lot during that transition.”
Kensie added: “I’m glad we got him another ring.”
Kensie was on the bench when Taft made a 7-0 run to start the fourth quarter to create a 51-44 lead. Taylor, contemplating what to do with his best player on the bench while his team was performing well, decided to put Kensie back in the game. Kensie knocked down a wing 3-pointer the first time he touched the ball to give the Toreadors a 58-48 lead with three minutes to play.
“I wanted to be out on the floor, but I was proud of my team for staying locked in,” Kensie said. “When I did check back in, I made sure to bring the same…
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