Benicia High’s girls basketball team has its work cut out for it in the upcoming Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoffs.

BENICIA HEAD COACH Randy Saitz and his Lady Panthers have their work cut out for them when they take on Patterson next Tuesday in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoffs.

The Lady Panthers, who went 9-12 overall during the regular season and finished third in the Solano County Athletic Conference, received the No. 14 seed out of 16 teams in the Division III bracket. Benicia must travel to No. 3 seeded Patterson for next Tuesday’s playoff opener.

Patterson, located a few miles southwest of Modesto, is 23-4 overall and went 12-0 en route to a Western Athletic Conference championship. The Lady Tigers are averaging 61 points per game while holding opponents to only 33 points per game.

“It is what it is,” Benicia head coach Randy Saitz said of the situation. “All we can do is give it our best shot. It’s all about the challenge and I know my girls will be ready.”

Patterson features six players who stand 5-foot-9 or taller and is similar to Vanden, the SCAC champions and No. 1 seed in the tournament. Vanden beat Benicia by an average of 48 points in two meetings this year.

“We’ll be going against some trees,” Saitz said. “We’re going to have a hard time matching up with (Patterson) so we’ll have to get creative with our defense and switch up things. But we’re going to have to rebound and stay out of foul trouble. Hopefully we can get some steals.

“I have to assume they’re going to press us, and if we can break that down, maybe we can get some easy buckets and open things up.”

American Canyon, which finished three games behind Benicia in the SCAC standings, received the No. 15 seed. Bethel is a No. 5 seed in the Division II bracket.

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