Inconsistent play by Benicia High’s boys varsity basketball team has tortured head coach Steve Carter all season, and the Panthers inflicted some more misery Tuesday night at home against the Fairfield Falcons.
There were moments when the Panthers were clicking and looked like a playoff contender. Unfortunately, there were more moments when they didn’t look worthy of being on the same court as the Falcons, who pulled away for a decisive 74-55 victory.
Benicia kept within striking distance most of the night and trailed by only eight with 6:25 remaining, but Fairfield finished the game on a 17-6 run to turn the game into a rout.
“That’s the story of our lives,” Carter said of his team’s tendency to tease before ultimately losing. “We play good in spurts and then we just give up. We’re just young and have to learn how to play a whole game.
It was the fifth loss in the past seven games for the Panthers, who fell to 6-13 overall and 0-2 in the Solano County Athletic Conference.
Fairfield (10-8, 1-1 SCAC) got off to a great start thanks to senior Uriah Benning, who hit a pair of quick 3-pointers and scored 10 points in the first quarter. Six different Falcons scored in the second quarter as Fairfield built a commanding 38-23 lead.
That’s when the Panthers put on their tease. Dakarai Hughes and Brady Christopher each hit a pair of 3-pointers in the third quarter, with Hughes scoring 11 points to bring Benicia to within 54-46. Benning and teammate Anthony Bryant provided the daggers with back-to-back 3-pointers with under six minutes remaining to make it 63-49. The Panthers scored only four points in the quarter’s first 5:49.
Hughes finished with 22 points and made three of Benicia’s eight 3-pointers. Benning scored a game-high 25 points and hit five 3-pointers. Fairfield made 10 shots overall from behind the arc.
The Panthers will go for that elusive first SCAC victory again Thursday night at home against Bethel (12-6, 1-1 SCAC).
“You have to take care of your home so this loss is tough,” Carter said. “Now we have to get ready for Bethel and work hard to get better.”
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