The VC men's basketball rebounded from Wednesday's setback at the Riverside Tournament with a 77-67 victory over Saddleback on Thursday. Marcus Watson had a double-double of 19 points and 10 assists to lead the Pirates (9-4) and Michael Noulowe netted 17 points in the triumph. Tony Njia scored 12, Adrian McIntyre recorded 11, and Anthony Garza tallied 10 points with eight rebounds for Ventura. The win even out a 77-64 VC setback against the Bobcats in the opening game of the season.
The Pirates led wire-to-wire, beginning the game with a 7-0 run in its first three minutes. Garza scored a lay-up off a McIntyre assist on the first possession, and Watson hit a jumper on the second. Garza assisted a three from McIntyre with 17:12 on the clock for the 7-0 margin.
Midway through the first half, Ventura went on an 11-3 run to open up a double-digit advantage. With Ventura ahead 14-11, Garza cashed in Watson's dime for two, and Watson followed with two free throws before hitting a deuce off an offensive rebound. Njia answered a Saddleback three with his own long-ranger, and Watson scored two from a Njia pass for the 25-14 VC lead with 7:26 remaining in the half.
The Bobcats pulled back to within five, 34-29, at the 1:50 mark, but the Pirates answered by closing the period outscoing their opponent 7-2 for a 41-31 halftime edge.
Noulowe caught fire to begin the second half, beginning the period on a personal 7-0 run. He made a 3-pointer on VC's first possession before turning a Watson assist into a field goal for a 15-point advantage, 46-31. Noulowe's dunk at the 17:46 mark extended the Pirate advantage.
Ventura continued the offensive with a McIntyre dunk and a Watson lay-up, and Njia's old-fashioned 3-point play made it 59-38 for the Pirates with 14:08 remaining in the game. Watson converted a 3-point play midway through the second half to extend the lead to 25, 70-45, and McIntyre's score on the next trip down the floor gave Ventura its largest lead of the night, 72-45, with 9:41 remaining.
Saddleback followed with a 14-0 run, but the Pirate advantage was too great. McIntyre's lay-up with 4:41 remaining ended the skid as Ventura rolled to the 10-point victory, 77-67.
The Pirates will complete their stay at the Riverside tournament on Saturday Dec. 10 playing Mt. San Jacinto College at 12:00 pm.