Benicia High’s girls varsity basketball team remained unbeaten after a sluggish 45-32 victory over the host Vintage Lady Crushers on Monday.
The Lady Panthers improved to 4-0, their best start to a season this millennium. All four of Benicia’s victories have come on the road.
Senior guard Michelle Li had another solid all-around game for Benicia. Li made only one less field goal than the entire Vintage team and finished with a game-high 22 points to go with 10 rebounds, four assists and four steals. Junior Calei Mendoza added 13 points and four steals.
Benicia got off to a strong start Monday night. Mendoza buried a pair of 3-pointers and Li had eight quick points as the Lady Panthers built a 17-10 lead after one quarter. Benicia struggled through the second quarter and led by only four at the break, but the Lady Panthers turned up the defensive pressure and allowed only 10 points the entire second half.
Benicia also received contributions from Fatima Garcia, Quilaina Dollar, Deja Carr, Elizabeth Sweeney and Kameron Hatcher.
The Lady Panthers take to the road again for the upcoming West Coast Jamboree at Bentley School in Lafayette. Benicia opens the tournament Saturday afternoon against Acalanes. Other teams in the West Coast Jamboree Amber Division include Buhach Colony, Campolindo, Central Valley (Shasta), Montgomery, San Lorenzo and Tamalpais.
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