Cordel Hankerson scored 20 points, including three 3-pointers in the first half, and Isiah Reyes scored 20 points with three triples in the second half as the Ventura College men's basketball team defeated Oxnard 88-75 Wednesday evening at the Condors' nest. Vida Faniel contributed 18 points in the victory. The win coupled with Cuesta's loss at home to Hancock vaulted the Pirates back into a first place tie in the Western State Conference race.
Ventura (12-11, 3-1) trailed 11-10 at the 14:13 mark of the first half when Reyes got the Pirates untracked. He had a steal and a spinner for a bucket, then found Faniel on the next possession to make it 14-11 for VC. Hankerson and Thomas Frank hit back-to-back threes and Reyes connected on a circus shot, reverse lay-up around two defenders to make it 22-17 with 11:06 remaining.
The Condors closed to within 28-27 at the 8:48 mark before the Pirates took control with a 16-3 run over the next six minutes. Ryan Sells started things off with a bucket followed by an Eddie Cowan assist to Hankerson for a trey. Faniel scored inside and Deryck Harvey connected on an old-fashioned 3-point play to put VC ahead 38-29. Cowan beat the shot clock with a floater at the 4:51 mark and Ventura led 40-29. The Pirates would take a 45-36 lead into halftime.
Ventura maintained control throughout the second half. Calvin Young started things off with a 3-pointer and Trevor LaCount scored inside. Faniel netted six straight points and Reyes nand Frank splashed a pair from beyond the strip to make it 62-49 with 12:13 remaining in the game. Reyes singlehandedly broke the Condors' press and scored to stretch the VC advantage to 14 points, 71-57 at the 9:39 mark. Oxnard cut the lead to 10 points, but Hankerson's 3-point play with 1:42 remaining restored the 14-point cushion. VC rolled on to the 88-75 win.
Ventura will next host Santa Barbara on Saturday Jan. 28. Tip-off is slated for 5:00 pm at the Athletic Event Center and the game will be carried live on the VC Sports Network.