Twelve Bridges falls to Benicia in NorCals

The historic season for the Twelve Bridges girls basketball team came to a close Tuesday night in Lincoln. Seventh-seeded Twelve Bridges fell to No. 10 Benicia 54-38 in the first round of the CIF Division IV NorCal Regional, ending the Raging Rhinos' first state tournament appearance in program history. Despite the loss, Twelve Bridges coach Sharle Killorn emphasized how meaningful the run was for the program and its senior class. "We've got a special group of girls," Killorn said. "I don't think they realize how hard it is to get to this point. We keep telling them, but it is a special opportunity that we've gotten here, and I'm super proud of them to have made it this far." The milestone season was particularly notable for a senior class that experienced three different head coaches during their four years in the program. Killorn provided some stability, and it showed as she coached the Rhinos (22-9) to the Sac-Joaquin Section semifinals and NorCal Regionals for the first time. Killorn said reaching this point helped establish a standard for the program moving forward. "I think it sets the standard," Killorn said. "It gives our younger players something to look forward to, something to shoot for, something that's expected. I want them to expect to get to this point every time and be motivated and inspired to do so." The Rhinos entered the state playoffs with much of their roster expected to return next season, losing only one senior from the starting lineup. Killorn said the defeat should serve as motivation heading into the offseason. "You need to sit on it for a little while and learn from your mistakes and learn from your losses," Killorn said. "Use it as motivation for training in your offseason and come back even stronger next year." With only one practice to prepare after learning their opponent, Twelve Bridges' game plan focused on defense and sticking to its offensive system. The Panthers disrupted that plan, dictating the pace of play and controlling the glass to pull away after a slow start. "Our game plan was defense comes first and stay the course and run our offense," Killorn said. "We could not make our usual shots and our usual layups, which was a little frustrating. I think that threw us off our game." Killorn also said the moment may have weighed on the Rhinos late in the game. "I think we got to a point where a lot of our girls were like, 'Oh shoot, we're behind,'" Killorn said. "I think some of the emotions kind of got to them. Our seniors realizing that this is coming to a close." Amelie Issier led the way for the Panthers with 16 points, 12 of which came from beyond the arc. Ella Lum and Tailva Scott-Gasologa each scored 12 for Benicia. Twelve Bridges' Maisie Dennis led all scorers with 18 points while Addison Carpenter added 14. While the season ended sooner than the Rhinos hoped, Killorn believes the experience of reaching the state tournament will help shape the future of the program.