It was a disappointing league opener for Benicia High’s boys and girls varsity basketball teams.
The Panther boys had a lead early in the fourth quarter at Vanden last Thursday, only to fall completely apart in a 81-63 loss. The Lady Panthers were no match for visiting Vanden on Friday as the Lady Vikings cruised to a 65-27 victory.
Benicia’s boys trailed 35-25 at halftime but went on a 26-14 run in the third quarter to take a two-point lead. But Vanden dominated the fourth quarter, using a 32-12 run to turn a close game into a rout.
“We were doing good and had them down, and then all of a sudden at the end we just couldn’t get it done,” said Benicia boys coach Steve Carter.
Dakarai Hughes had 17 points for the Panthers, who fell to 6-11 overall and 0-1 in the Solano County Athletic Conference. Brady Christopher had 11 points, Brandon Barrett added 10 points and recent addition Trey Pugh chipped in with nine points.
The Lady Panthers (9-3, 0-1 SCAC) were never in it against Vanden on Friday, falling behind 18-6 after one quarter and 34-13 by halftime. The Lady Vikings put the game away with a 25-2 run in the third quarter.
“We knew it was a big game and I think we were a little nervous,” said senior Michelle Li, who led the Lady Panthers with 12 points. “Every one of their players is good and they play as a team.”
“They’re a machine,” Benicia head coach Randy Saitz said of the Lady Vikings (13-2, 1-0 SCAC). “Everybody in our league is looking up at them.”
Vanden senior Cassandra Jones hit three straight 3-pointers to end the third quarter and finished with five 3-pointers and 15 points. Teammate Kiana Moore added three 3-pointers and led all scorers with 17 points.
Leave a Reply