2011-12 Warrior Basketball
Posted by thswarriors.com, on February 24, 2012 Lady Warriors Season Ends In Tulare
The 2011-12 Lady Warriors basketball season came to a dramatic end Wednesday evening as the host Tulare Union Redskins edged Tehachapi, 49-48. The Lady Warriors, under first year coach Renn Amstead, ended the season with a final 18-7 overall record.
Tulare Union 49 Tehachapi 48
The #9 seeded Lady Warriors traveled to Tulare Wednesday, Feb. 22, for a first round Division III playoff game versus Tulare Union. Tulare Union, seeded #8, came into the contest sporting a 12-4 league record, and a fine 20-8 season record.
The game was close throughout the night with the Lady Warriors jumping out to a 13-9 first quarter lead; Tulare went ahead 22-18 at the half; a hot third quarter found Tehachapi leading 36-31 after three; and Tulare rallied for 18 points in the final canto to win the game by one, 49-48.
The Warriors were led in scoring by A.J. Snider with 12 points and Paige Bennett with 10 points. Bennett also led the team with 11 rebounds, and assists with 5. Tulare senior Unique Vernon scored 22 points to lead the Lady Redskins.
On Friday night (Feb. 24), Tulare Union was eliminated from the playoffs by Ridgeview-Bakersfield, 72-57. SSL champion Shafter was also eliminated from the tournament by Hanford West, 66-60.
Warriors fans can follow the Central Section Division III girl's playoffs by following the link listed below:
CIF Central Section Division III Playoff Brackets
Bennett Closes Out Stellar Career
The exit from the playoffs also marks the close of a stellar basketball career for Paige Bennett. Bennett, the 5'9" senior, led the team in scoring with 343 points (13.7 avg.); rebounds with 172; assists at 155; and 125 steals.
For her three-year varsity career, Bennett scored a total of approximately 761 points. She scored 122 points as a 10th grader; 196 points in her junior year; and 343 points as a senior.
Other Warriors with outstanding statistics for the 2011-12 season include sophomore Alyssa Garcia with 226 points (9.0 avg.) scored; senior A.J. Snider hauled down 153 rebounds, junior Rheanna Cowee totaled 130, and junior Danielle Simpson finished with 123 boards.
Warriors Join Southeast Yosemite League Next Season
For the Lady Warriors, the school will join the tough Southeast Yosemite League beginning next school year along with rival Garces, Highland, Foothill, North and East.
The Tehachapi basketball program will end its 20 year affiliation with the South Sequoia League. The Lady Warriors won six SSL championships and finished as the league runner-up six times. Tehachapi advanced to the post season playoffs 14 times in its 20 year run in the league.
The Warriors best SSL team was in 2004-05 as the girls of head coaches Bill Carll and Dennis Ruggles finished the season with a record of 23-8. The 2004-05 Lady Warriors won the SSL with a perfect 10-0 record; advanced to the section finals before losing in the championship game; and advanced to the State playoffs.
Senior Paige Bennett closed the books on an outstanding Lady Warriors career by leading
the 2012 team in scoring, rebounds, assists, and steals. Bennett also totaled 761 career
scoring points as a varsity player. Photo by the Tehachapi News.