STATE COLLEGE — State College center Taylor Love has been waiting a long time to get her chance to shine for the Little Lions, and now that it has come, she is taking full advantage.
The 6-foot-1 senior has been a force with the ball, on defense, and on the boards for State College. She leads the team in scoring and rebounding, and she has been the voice of experience and a calming influence in what has been a difficult transition to a completely new coaching staff in 2016-17.
“Taylor Love is one of our senior leaders,” State College assistant coach Jamie Brennan said after the Little Lions’ big 39-33 win over Altoona on Jan. 30. “I spoke to her before the game today and told her that she is really the heart and soul of the team.
“When she plays well, everybody else plays well. She needed to get her head straight and focus on this game. And she did. She came through.”
Love’s play was the determining factor in the Altoona win. She was instrumental in helping build a big early lead, and then she scored three times in crunch time as SC held on for its sixth win.
Love ended the night with 19 points, just under half of State College’s points. She scored five of the Lions’ eight first-quarter points, 13 of their first 19, and then she scored twice in the final 90 second of the game. She also pulled three big rebounds late as her team ultimately fended off an Altoona five that was determined to pull off a big comeback win.
“I think our defense was a lot stronger tonight,” Love said. “Everyone was helping and everyone was rebounding. Our coaches were saying 32 minutes of defense, and I think we brought that.”
It was State College’s sixth win of the season, not the number the team was hoping for, but it came at the right time over a good opponent.
SC now is entering the final stages of its season, a stretch that will begin of Friday, Feb. 3, at Central Dauphin. After that, the team will travel to Altoona (Feb. 9) and Hollidaysburg (Feb. 14) before finishing at home against Williamsport on Feb. 16. There is also a postponed game against Carlisle to be rescheduled.
Love sees playing those games — her final regular season outings as a player — as an opportunity for the Little Lions.
“I think we are definitely getting better each game,” she said. “We’re sharing the ball more, working through the offense instead of just shooting off one pass, so we are making strides.
“We definitely want to win districts so we are going to have them (Altoona) or Mifflin County. Mifflin County has given us tough games, so we have to keep up our defense and keep getting better each game.”
