The VC men's basketball team got off to a fast start Sunday afternoon but could not make it hold up in their 92-67 loss to San Bernardino Valley in the third place game of the Gregg Anderson Memorial Tournament at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster. Isiah Reyes scored 28 points with three assists and Taylor Sturgeon had seven points with a team-high six rebounds in the game for the Pirates (7-6).
After the Wolverines scored on the first possession of the game, Ventura came storming back, initially behind a 3-pointer from Cordel Hankerson for a 3-2 advantage. Hankerson followed with a deuce and another trey and it was 8-2 before the seats were even warm. Eddie Cowan and Trevor LaCount made back-to-back scores, and Calvin Young followed up a SBVC score with a triple and the Pirates led 15-4 with 13:24 remaining in the first half.
Unfortunately the lead did not stick as San Bernardino mounted a furious comeback. The Wolverines went on a 14-2 run over the next five minutes, taking the lead with 8:42 on the clock. LaCount answered with a bucket to make it 20-19 for VC, and Reyes followed up a SBVC basket with two points to make it 21-20 with 8:04 remaining. Unfortunately that was the Pirates' last lead of the game as SBVC went on a 14-0 run to take control of the game. Ventura trailed 41-27 at halftime.
The game continued to get out of hand in the second half with VC finding the going difficult on the offensive end of the floor. San Bernardino augmented its advantage throughout the period with the final score reading 92-67.
Reyes was the lone Pirate in double-figures and Hankerson ended with eight points.
The Pirates will now take some time off for final exams before heading north to the Kirby Mannon Pepsi / Wyndham Hotel Tournament at College of the Sequoias in Visalia. They will play El Camino on Friday Dec. 16 at 2:00 pm.