The Pirates' men's basketball team had six players score between eight and 16 points Wednesday at the Athletic Event Center as they defeated Los Angeles Harbor 87-58. Caleb Gilbert had a double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds and Carter Alexander totaled 16 points to lead the way for Ventura (6-9) in the victory. Dominik Contreras and Reese Widerburg each scored nine while Mykayle McCoy and Kai Johnson each scored eight.
Alexander was hot from the start, making back-to-back three's before hitting a jumper from an offensive rebound and a pair of free throws to give VC at 10-4 lead three minutes into play.
The Seahawks pulled to within 16-14 at the 11:03 mark of the first half before the Pirates went on a 13-0 run to take control of the game. Widerburg assisted a 3-pointer by Caleb Geisendorfer and Vernon Henry scored inside. Geisendorfer then scored on a dunk after an offensive rebound and Johnson dropped a dime to Henry for another deuce. Johnson scored two and McCoy hit a pair of free throws for a 29-14 Ventura margin with 6:33 remaining.
Harbor pulled back to within six, 34-28 with 2:10 on the clock before VC scored the final seven points of the half for a 41-28 lead at intermission.
The Pirates continued their run in the second half with buckets by Gilbert and Blake Berry to complete an 11-0 run for a 45-28 advantage.
Contreras had a dunk at the 13:39 mark and Johnson scored an old-fashioned 3-point play to maintain a 56-39 edge on the following possession to keep VC in control. Ventura put the game away soon thereafter with a 14-0 run to grab a 70-43 lead with 6:03 left to play. Gilbert sandwiched a 3-point play and a lay-up around a bucket by Contreras before Johnson had a steal and lay-up. Johnson then assisted Gilbert's dunk, and Contreras and Widerburg sank a pair of shots from range to finish off the Seahawks. It was all fun and games down the stretch with a triple from Rick Djouwe, a lay-up by Beckham Rutherford and a pair of three's by Gerard Bolden for the final 87-58 margin.
Contreras and McCoy each grabbed seven rebounds in the win and Johnson dropped six dimes with three steals. Gilbert also grabbed three thefts and blocked three shots for the Pirates.
Ventura next heads to Riverside for a Dec. 29 date with the Tigers before opening Western State Conference play on Jan. 10 against Oxnard.