The VC men's basketball team used an 11-2 run late in the first half to separate from the Hancock Bulldogs en route to a 74-52 victory in Santa Maria Friday. With the win, Ventura (22-6, 10-2) claims outright the program's seventh straight Western State Conference North Division Championship, Adrian McIntyre led four Pirates in double figures with 19 points and five steals while Anthony Garza netted 17 with six rebounds and five assists. Kai Johnson and Tony Njia each scored 12 points and Daniel Crocker pulled down 12 boards.
Crocker made a pair of inside shots and McIntyre hit one of two free throws early for a 5-1 advantage for the Pirates three minutes in. The Bulldogs responded well, taking a 10-8 lead four minutes later.
The contest was knotted up at 17 with 7:24 remaining in the first half when VC took control. Njia hit a three and a lay-up on consecutive possessions and McIntyre followed with a steal and a score. Following a Hancock bucket, Marcus Watson found Garza inside for two, and the pair teamed up again on the next possession for a 28-19 Pirate edge at the 4:41 mark. Ventura held a 35-26 lead at halftime.
The teams traded buckets early in the second half, with the Bulldogs pulling as close as 44-38 with 13:43 remaining to play. Crocker hit a three, Garza scored a charity shot and McIntyre made a shot from range for a mini 7-2 run and a 53-41 margin midway through the period. Johnson and Jeroe Bidlow answered an AHC deuce with a two and a three, respectively, and Garza made a lay-up off a Johnson offensive rebound and assist to extend the lead to 60-43 with 7:08 left to play. Hancock pulled back to within 62-50 at the 4:44 mark, sparking a 12-2 Ventura run to end the game.
Crocker added nine points to his rebound total and Watson dropped five dimes with six boards.
Fresh off the program's 26th conference crown dating back to 1950, the Pirates now await their playoff seed. They will host their first post-season game either on Wednesday Feb. 22 or Saturday Feb. 25. Pairings for the Southern California Regional Playoffs will be announced on Sunday Feb. 19.