VC sophomore Anthony McIntyre played all 40 minutes and led four players in double-figures with 21 points, nine rebounds and six assists as the Pirates extended their best start in 25 years to 10-0 with an 85-77 victory over Long Beach on the first day of the Santa Barbara City College Classic. Adrian McIntyre had 17 points while Kordell Gordon came off the bench with 12 points and Anthony Garza netted 10. Jelani Bell added nine points to the effort.
The Vikings held the advantage early on the State No. 3-ranked Pirates, leading 21-15 at the 11-minute mark of the first half. Ventura quickly turned things around, however, with a 15-3 run over the next four minutes. Caleb Geisendorfer made a pair of free throws and Adrian Mc. followed with a lay-up. Bell made a shot from range on the next possession to put VC ahead 22-21, and followed with another three two possessions later. Geisendorfer made another pair of free shots and Shulton Tobin made one of two at the foul line to make it 28-23 with 7:06 remaining in the half. LBCC countered by closing the half with a 19-5 run to hold a 42-33 edge at intermission.
It was more of the same as the second half started. Long Beach scored six points on their first three possessions, extending their lead to 48-33 with 18:07 left to play. Anthony Mc. then got things going for Ventura with a lay-up and brother Adrian Mc. followed with a steal and bucket, plus the and-1. Garza then scored inside and Anthony Mc. made one of two charity shots at the 16:03 mark. Adrian followed with two more free shots and Anthony scored a lay-up off Garza's dime to pull VC to within three, 48-45, less than three minutes after they trailed by 15. Anthony Mc. scored a deuce from Aaron Dawoodjee's assist to tie the score at 56 at the 10:56 mark, and Gordon's score inside with help from Anthony Mc. put VC back ahead.
Gordon answered a Viking two with a 3-pointer to give Ventura the lead for good, and Adrian Mc.'s lay-up with 8:18 on the clock made it 60-55. The Pirates held off the Vikings down the stretch, opening a 17-point advantage with 3:08 remaining on back-to-back 3-pointers from Dawoodjee and Adrian Mc.
VC's 10-game winning streak to begin the year is one game better than the 2012-13 squad's nine game stretch, and they will try to make it 11 straight against Bakersfield in the tournament semifinals. Ti-off on Friday Dec. 10 is slated for 5:00 pm in Santa Barbara.