The VC men's basketball team scored the first eight points of the game and opened up quick leads of 14-2 and 23-8 en route to an easy 103-80 victory at Oxnard College Wednesday night. Isiah Reyes led the way with 22 points in the game while Johns Williams and Jacob Alonzo contributed 19 and 18 points, respectively. The Pirate win coupled with Allan Hancock's loss at Cuesta drops the Bulldogs one game behind VC in the standings with one game remaining, clinching at least a share of the Western State Conference title for Ventura.
The Pirates (20-8, 8-1) dominated the Condors early. Buckets from Malcolm Ruff, Terrell Handy-Johnson and Alonzo, along with two free throws by John Williams put Ventura ahead 8-0. Two more inside scores by Ruff and another by Terrell H-J extended the VC advantage to 14-2 with 16:07 left in the first half. Two from Reyes, a three and a two by Alonzo, and a scoop lay-up by Williams extended the lead to 5 points, 23-8 and the rout was on.
Ventura kept extending the advantage throughout the first half of play. A Williams pull-up jumper made it 37-20 at the 6:31 mark, and Dondre Watson's deuce made it a 21-point affair, 43-22, with 5:01 on the clock. The Pirates led at halftime, 52-33.
The fast start repeated itself in the second half as VC opened with an 8-1 run. Alonzo scored on a reverse lay-up followed by a Ruff inside score, a dunk by Terrell H-J and two more from Williams. The Pirates maintained the healthy cushion throughout the second half in cruising to the 103-80 victory.
The Pirates clinched at least a tie for the WSC North Division crown with the win and the Hancock loss. The title is the third in a row for Ventura and it marks the seventh time in the past 11 years that VC will have ended the conference season with the best record. It is also head coach Joey Ramirez's fourth conference crown in seven seasons and the 22nd overall for the program.
Ventura will attempt to earn the conference title outright on Saturday Feb. 17 as they host Santa Barbara in the regular season finale. Tip-off at the Athletic Event Center is scheduled for 7:00 pm.