Panthers suffer costly defeat

DAKARAI HUGHES (3) squeezes between two Vallejo defenders.

Slim playoff hopes for Benicia High’s boys varsity basketball team got a lot slimmer Friday night after a tough 70-65 loss to visiting Vallejo on Friday.

The defeat dropped Benicia to 10-16 overall and 3-6 in the Solano County Athletic Conference, a game behind Bethel for the third and final Sac-Joaquin Section playoff spot awarded to the conference with one game remaining. The Panthers must now beat visiting American Canyon (3-6 SCAC) on Tuesday and hope Vanden beats Fairfield (3-6 SCAC) and Vallejo beats Bethel (4-5 SCAC) to have any hope of making the postseason.

“We lost focus, and for whatever reason we seem to do that a lot playing at home,” complained Benicia head coach Steve Carter after Friday’s loss. “Vallejo wanted it more than we did.”

Vallejo’s Jordan Brisdeno – who scored only five points when Benicia beat the Redhawks, 65-63, in Vallejo on Jan. 27 – torched the Panthers for 31 points on Friday. Delvon Burrell added 21 points and teammate Arthur Hayes scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half.

Brisdeno scored 14 points in the first half as Vallejo jumped out to a 31-22 lead at the break. Benicia’s Trey Pugh, who sat out the first half due to disciplinary reasons, and teammates Dakarai Hughes, Kendal Vargas and Peter Koenen helped the Panthers pull to within 44-40 heading to the fourth quarter.

Vallejo led by only two with 1:05 remaining, but key baskets by Brisdeno and Dayvonne Greenwood, plus free throws by Burrell and Hayes, made it 68-60 with seven seconds left.

The Redhawks dominated the offensive boards and often had second and third opportunities to score. Brisdeno scored several of his points off offensive rebounds, and once Benicia 6-foot-6 senior Brandon Barrett fouled out with 2:20 left, the Panthers were left vulnerable under the basket. The Panthers also hurt themselves with several turnovers at critical moments.

“We turned the ball over too many times and I can’t explain it,” Carter said. “I’m disappointed and let down.”

Hughes led the Panthers with 17 points. Pugh finished with 13 points and Vargas added 10 points and seven rebounds.