The VC men's basketball team was well-represented in the Western State Conference's post-season awards released last month. Freshman guard Adrian McIntyre was named the Most Outstanding Player and he was joined by Anthony Garza, Anthony McIntyre and Shulton Tobin as first team all-conference. Jelani Bell and Aaron Dawoodjee earned honorable mention All-WSC accolades and Pirate head coach Joey Ramirez was named the WSC Coach of the Year.
Adrian McIntyre scored 1\8.4 points per game in conference play while pulling in 5.1 rebounds with 3.9 assists and 1.8 steals per outing. He shot 54 percent from the floor in 12 conference games and made 83 percent of his free throws in leading the Pirates to their second straight undefeated WSC North campaign. The Saugus High School product scored 35 points with 10 assists and five rebounds at LA Pierce on Jan. 12, and netted 38 with six boards and four steals in VC's WSC-clinching victory over Hancock on Feb. 21.
Garza was a steady influence in the paint for Ventura, scoring 10 points with 6.8 rebounds per outing n WSC play while Anthony McIntyre was the jelly to his younger brother's peanut butter in the Pirates' back court with 14.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game. Tobin provided valuable sophomore leadership while scoring 13.7 points with 4.8 boards each night out.
Bell was another valuable sophomore scoring 11.8 points per outing and shooting 57/50/90 as Ventura's sixth man and Dawoodjee performed as VC's defensive stopper throughout the year while contributing 5.1 points and 3.2 boards.
Ramirez, in his 10th season at the helm of the Pirates' ship, earned his seventh Coach of the Year nod, leading VC to its second straight unblemished conference season.
The Pirates went undefeated through conference play for the second straight season, stretching their WSC winning streak to 25 games. The title was Ventura's sixth straight top conference finish and the 25th in program history.