WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: With the Pirates having a hard time knocking down shots from the perimeter, the VC frontline played big in their 71-42 victory over College of the Desert in the opening round of the LAVC-Russell Classic Friday night. Brooke Dixon scored 22 points with 12 rebounds and Adrianne Sloboh netted 13 with 21 boards to lead Ventura, ranked No. 4 in the latest SoCal poll, into a semifinal match-up Saturday against No. 1 Long Beach. Cynthia Hernandez managed 10 first half points for the Pirates (9-2) while Lisa Marie Sanchez dished out eight assists.
The Pirate offense seemed out of sync from the start as VC misfired on six of its first seven shots. Dixon had the only Pirate field goal in the game's first four minutes until Hernandez splashed a 3-pointer, giving VC a 7-4 lead. The Roadrunners tied the score at 9-9 with 14:26 left in the half before Micaela Pericone-Kapp hit a long-ranger to begin a 13-0 Ventura run over the next five minutes. Sloboh scored consecutive buckets to put the Pirates ahead 22-9 at the 9:05 mark of the period. Ventura hit just three more field goals the rest of the half, but managed a 36-23 lead at halftime.
Dixon took over to begin the second half, scoring 14 of Ventura's first 16 points. Sanchez racked up the assists as Dixon ran the floor on the break, scored off of the offensive glass, and did work in the low post, as well. Meanwhile, Sloboh dominated the glass, racking up a career high rebound total, her second 20+ rebound performance in six games. Ventura rode the momentum from the inside to the 71-42 victory.
Sloboh became just the third player in the Ned Mircetic era to hav two 20+ rebound games, joining Venessa Hackett and Destinee LaFountain. He 21 rebounds was the fifth-highest toatl in the school record books.
The Pirates will take on Long beach City College on Saturday Dec. 14 at 5:00 pm in the tournament semifinals. Cerritos and Los Angeles Valley, coached by Pirate alumna Monica Hang, will play in the second semifinal at 7:00 pm.