MEN'S BASKETBALL: The Pirates' men's basketball team used a barrage of offense with four players in double figures to upset the defending state champion No. 14 Mt. San Antonio Mounties Wednesday night in their CCCAA Southern California Regional Playoff opener in Walnut, 82-69. Jon McMurry scored 22 points with six rebounds and five assists while Ivan Dooley netted 17 points, including three 3-pointers. Anthony Morman and Jalen Young each contributed 12 points as No. 19 VC (17-11) advances to the regional quarterfinals at No. 3 Mt. San Jacinto College on Saturday March 1.
The game started with the two teams exchanging bucket for bucket before the Pirates used a 10-2 run behind big shots from Dooley to take a 28-16 lead with around five minutes to play in the opening half. Mt. SAC responded with an 8-2 run of their own spurred by a couple offensive rebounds and Pirate turnovers. The VC advantage was cut to 30-27 before the Pirates closed the half strong with key buckets by McMurry and Morman. Ventura led 36-29 at halftime with Dooley leading the way with 14 points, McMurry 14 and Morman eight.
The VC offense dominated the Mounties' defense in the second half, spreading them out and creating excellent shooting opportunities. Ventura ook advantage, missing just three field goal attempts in the final 20 minutes. McMurry, Dooley and reserve Rodney Bryant all buried triples while Young went 4-4 from the floor during that time. Strong guard play led to a 15-point Ventura lead, but Mt. San Antonio would not quit, closing the gap to seven points thanks to a pair of VC turnovers. The Mounties' run would not be enough to overcome the sizzling Pirates, who received more help from the bench as Dennis Savoy came in and knocked down to big 18-footers. That helped extend the margin back into double-figures, never allowing Mt. SAC back into the contest. Perfection from the free throw line down the stretch dashed all hope of a comeback. The Pirates finished 18-20 from the foul line, the only two misses coming in the first half.
Offensively, all the Pirates pitched in. Seven Pirates had six or more points. Bryant finished the night with six points on the outside while Savoy and Vondel Faniel pitched in six points each in the paint.
Ventura advances to face Mt San Jacinto in Hemet on Saturday March 1 at 7:00 pm. The Eagles spoiled the Pirates' playoff run a year ago by coming to the Athletic Event Center and knocking off VC, and the Pirates hope to return the favor this year. The game can be heard live online on the VC Men's Sports Network