Utah Guard Commits to Taft College Hoops
TAFT, CA – Taft College is graduating one of Women's Basketball Head Coach Romeo Lagmay, Jr.'s high impact players—Second Team All-Conference player Alyah Blackwater from Monument Valley, Utah. Yet, it didn't take long for him to replace her with another top guard coming again from the state of Utah.
Brooklynn Larsen, a 5'5" guard from Alta, Utah, has committed to join the Taft College Women's Basketball team for the upcoming 2025-2026 season. Larsen played for Alta High School, averaging 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. Playing four years at the varsity level for Head Coach Julie Larsen, Brooklynn had her team winning back-to-back seasons her junior and senior years.
Coach Lagmay said, "When recruiting for a team sport, a recruitment puzzle is completed when every piece is in place. Brooklynn has qualities more important than what her statistics stand for. She's a worker! We can use her in many ways, impacting the game from different angles. She will be able to score, defend, and be disruptive on both ends of the court. Her assets are what every coach would want and expect in their athlete. Brooklynn's IQ matches her work ethic."
A former 4-year basketball player for the University of Utah and mother of Brooklynn, Alta High School Girl's Head Coach Julie Larsen explained how instrumental her daughter was and can be, "Brooklynn is a gym rat and continues to work on all aspects of her game as well as strength and conditioning. She is committed to being stronger and faster and improving her skill set. She has the ability to score at all 3 levels. Brooklynn is the player who will do the dirty work for you; she fills the stat sheet; and she defends well with a long wingspan, causing havoc on the defensive end. She is a solid shooter and can get to the rim; she rebounds well for a smaller guard; and she takes care of the ball. She is also a player who can adapt her style of play to those around her. She is what I would consider a glue kid with good leadership skills. She has proven to be a very effective and efficient scorer, with numerous games in double figures. Brooklynn is a good leader on and off the court. She made her presence known more by her tipped passes, talking on the court, boxing out, hustle plays, and leadership skills. She has the ability to score, but understands team concepts and passes up good shots for better shots for her teammates."
During the 2024 season, Alta's overall record was 19-4 winning the 5A region. This past season, they went 14-11 and placed 4th in the region. Both seasons, Larsen advanced to the second round of state playoffs. Larsen was voted Second Team All-Region for both her junior and senior campaigns.
Larsen expressed her intents to play in Kern County, "Taft College provided me with a sense of community. Taft College is a place where I can see myself growing not only as a basketball player but as a person."