Playing away from home for the first time this season, the Pirates' men's basketball team dropped a 71-53 decision at Irvine Valley Thursday night. Vernon Henry scored 12 points with nine assists to lead Ventura while Caleb Gilbert and Mykayle McCoy each netted 10 points. McCoy also grabbed a team-best seven rebounds in the opener of the Irvine Valley Classic.
Caleb Geisendorfer opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, but the Lasers immediately responded with a 7-0 run to go ahead four minutes into the game. Henry hit one of two free throws and Geisendorfer hit a pair of charity tosses to pull VC to within 10-6 with 13:39 remaining in the first half. Irvine Valley scored the next seven points of the game, however, and steadily built their advantage, putting Ventura behind 34-21 at halftime.
Reese Widerburg hit a jumper and Henry followed with a free shot and a three to pull VC back to within 38-30 at the 15:44 mark of the second half. Blake Berry's short from range a minute later closed the gap to seven points, 40-33, but the Pirates could get no closer.
Geisendorfer ended the game with nine points while Widerburg was limited to six in the loss.
Ventura returns to Irvine on Saturday Nov. 11 to take on College of the Canyons in their finale in the Irvine Valley Classic. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 pm.