On day two of the We Play Hard Tournament, the Pirate men's basketball team dropped a 73-55 decision to visiting Saddleback. Reese Widerburg led VC (1-1) with 14 points and Kai Johnson totaled 13 points with five rebounds and four assists.
The Bobcats got off to a quick start, building a 13-2 margin five minutes into the game. Widerburg made a pair of three's to pull VC to within 15-8 wit h12:29 on the clock, but Saddleback was able to reset the lead back to an even dozen, 21-12, four minutes later.
Ventura was not out, however, as Caleb Gilbert scored seven of the next 11 points on a three and a pair of dunks in an 11-3 Pirate run. Caleb Geisendorfer made a lay-up at the 5:55 mark to pull VC to within 24-20.
Saddleback countered with the next 12 points and Ventura went into halftime down 42-30.
Derrick Young scored a deuce to open the second half, and Dominik Contreras followed with a 3-pointer as VC pulled to within 42-35 in the opening minute following intermission. Both teams went cold at that point, however, as neither team would score again for another four minutes.
Saddleback netted seven straight points following their dry spell before Johnson's and-1 3-point play ended a six minute drought for the Pirates. Widerburg nailed a long-range bomb with 12:30 remaining in the game to pull VC to within 49-41, but three free throws by Saddleback two possessions later expanded Ventura's deficit back to double figures.
Statistically, Ventura shot 51 percent from the floor, 20-39, and 42 percent from three, 8-19. The Bobcats, however had 20 more shot attempts that the Pirates and outrebounded VC 30-23, including 12 offensive boards. Ventura also committed 14 turnovers compared to Saddleback's eight.
Vc closes the We Play Hard Tournament on Saturday Nov. 4 with a 2:00 pm game against San Diego Miramar.