The Pirates' men's basketball team dropped a heartbreaking 96-94 decision at Allan hancock College Saturday in Santa Maria, dropping Ventura into a first-place tie with the Bulldogs atop the Western State Conference North Division standings. VC's dynamic guard duo of Isiah Reyes and Jacob Alonzo combined for 56 points but it was a little short as the Pirates had their five-game winning streak come to an end.
The battle between the conference's top two teams was close throughout the contest. Reyes made a lay-up at the 15:16 mark of the first half to tie the score at 9-9 before the Bulldogs went on a 12-2 run to post a 21-11 score midway through the opening half. Reyes completed a 3-point play on the next possession, and Terrell Handy-Johnson scored on a jumper to end the Pirate skid and cut the Hancock lead in half. Reyes then sandwiched a triple and a deuce around a Taylor Sturgeon bucket and the score was ties at 23 with 7:37 left in the half. Reyes then hit another three to put the Pirates on top, but the Bulldogs answered with their own triple and the teams continued to battle. Alonzo's old-fashioned 3-point play put VC ahead 35-34 with 2:32 on the clock before the Bulldogs countered with another 3-pointer. The Pirates trailed 42-39 at halftime.
The teams continued their close contest into the second half. There were seven ties and six lead changes through the first 12 minutes of play in the final period, with neither team gaining more than a four-point advantage. With Ventura trailing 64-60, Reyes made a jumper and a lay-up for the half's seventh tie, 64-64, with 8:17 remaining in regulation time. At that point, the Bulldogs seemed to take over, scoring the next eight points to take a 72-64 advantage with 5:24 on the clock.
Malcolm Ruff ended the AHC run with a pair of free throws, and Alonzo turned a Bulldog turnover into two points to pull VC to within four. Reyes then tied the score at 78-78 with 1:07 remaining on a 4-point play. Hancock scored a bucket with 20 seconds left before Alonzo was fouled on a 3-point attempt with eight seconds remaining. He calmly converted all three charity shots and the Pirates led 81-80. On the ensuing play, the Bulldogs drew a Pirate foul, then converted both free throws for an 82-81 advantage, still with eight seconds on the clock. Reyes got the ball in the back court, then dribbled the length of the court, picking up a Hancock foul with two seconds still left. Reyes hit one of two free throws to send the game to overtime.
In the extra period, John Williams gave VC a brief 84-83 advantage with 3:29 on the clock, and Alonzo tied the score at 86-86 with a bucket a minute later. At that point, the Bulldogs seemed to pull away again, posting a 94-88 lead with 20 seconds on the clock. Williams responded with a 3-pointer, and Alonzo connected from range after an AHC free throw, but the Pirates could not pul off another miracle comeback, falling 96-94.
Reyes ended up fouling out in the overtime period, nut not before totaling 29 points, five rebounds and four steals. Alonzo scored 27 points, and Williams ended with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Ventura now falls back to a first place tie with Hancock with identical 5-1 conference marks. Each team has four games left to play.
The Pirates will return home on Wednesday Feb. 7 to host Cuesta College. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 pm at the Athletic Event Center.