Amanda Bennett has had the W.F. West career assists record on her mind since she was a sophomore. After dishing out 161 assists that season, she was confident she could reach 367, the school record …
Unlock unlimited access for just $1 for your first month
Please log in to continue |
Amanda Bennett has had the W.F. West career assists record on her mind since she was a sophomore. After dishing out 161 assists that season, she was confident she could reach 367, the school record at the time.
Bennett knew she was close going into Tuesday’s matchup against Tumwater, but she didn’t know exactly how many she needed to set the new mark.
W.F. West coach Kyle Karnofski didn’t tell her the number she needed to hit until late in the third, when she was just two away.
Just over 40 seconds into the fourth, Bennett dished the ball inside to Julia Dalan, who promptly sank a short jumper to give Bennett the record.
It sparked a celebration that continued throughout the rest of the game and into the moments following the Bearcats’ 60-21 win over the Thunderbirds.
Immediately following the game, Bennett was greeted by family and friends with flowers, her commemorative basketball, and a poster recognizing the achievement.
“It felt really special,” Bennett said. “Especially with the pass being to Julia. We are the point guard-post duo, and I really wanted it to be at a home game too … I really loved it.”
Bennett said she thought she needed nine assists, and she was trying to keep track during the game. When Karnofski told her she only had two to go, she got an instant burst of energy.
“I think it’s a good thing I’m not good at counting my stats,” Bennett said with a laugh. “It was just fun.”
Karnofski took the time postgame to commend Bennett, saying that she’s “been one of the most vital parts” of the team since her freshman year.
“She’s one of my favorite kids, and I’m just super proud of her,” Karnofski said.
The commemorative ball that he and the assistant coaches made for Bennett had the words “career records” on it, but the word assists is nowhere to be found yet.
Karnofski told Bennett postgame that the plan is to later add all the records Bennett is on pace to set below. By the end of the year, she could also set the career starts, minutes, and steals record.
“She’s a great kid and a phenomenal leader,” Karnofski said. “She’s been a captain for us for two years. Everybody respects her, and it’s super cool. You could see it with the students. The student section was pumped too.”
The record was previously held by Maggie Vadala, who graduated in 2020. Bennett’s accomplishment was the most noteworthy event in a convincing W.F. West victory, the Bearcats’ 11th in their first 12 games of the season.
Dalan finished with a team-high 19 points, and Grace Simpson added 13, including three threes.
Simpson’s solid night was a welcome sight for Karnofski, as multiple other Bearcats continue to step up around Dalan and Dilyn Boeck, who scored 10 points on Tuesday.
“She’s been having really good practices,” Karnofski said. “Having that ability to have other scorers is huge for us … We just don’t want teams to key on one or two (players), I want them to have to try to guard, defend, and scheme for everybody. That’s tough to do if everybody is involved and knocking some shots down.”
On the other side, the final result was one to forget for the Thunderbirds, but Tumwater coach Nathan Buchheit said there were still some positives to take away, mainly the third quarter.
Buchheit liked what the T-Birds were able to do in the third, where Anden Demaris scored 10 of their 11 points.
“Anden’s been doing it all season for us,” Buchheit said. “She’s been a nice bright spot for us … She’s just been embodying some of the standards that we have within the program.”
Demaris finished with a team-high 11 points, and Reece Brewer finished with six.
Despite the final result, Buchheit is hopeful that the T-Birds will be able to build on that third as they head into the bulk of their league schedule.
“They’re trying to compete for a state title,” Buchheit said. “We’re trying to figure out how to be able to compete to be one of those sixteen at the end of February … There’s our bigger picture in our world of what we’re trying to navigate and fight through.”
Both teams are back in action Thursday, as Tumwater (2-9, 0-1 2A EvCo) will return home to host Centralia, while W.F. West (11-1, 1-0 2A EvCo) will head north to face Black Hills.