Pirate freshman Felicia Magana stands 5-foot-2 after a good stretch. She played big for the Pirates on Saturday, however, as they defeated Santa Monica 59-47 to advance to the finals of the VC-Kiwanis Tournament of Champions. The diminutive budding fan favorite from Santa Paula led Ventura with 17 points, including four 3-pointers, as the Pirates (4-1) move to the championship game of the tournament for the eighth year in a row and the 13th time in the 17-year history of the bracket.
The Pirates grabbed an early 10-4 lead seven minutes into the game on a pair of 3-pointers from Makenna Murray and Carolyn Ruffino, and two field goals by Brooke Zamora. Magana hit the second of consecutive triples with 8:44 on the clock to give the Pirates a 16-7 advantage.
Santa Monica closed to within 18-15 at the 4:41 mark, but VC closed the half on a 10-0 run to take control. Aubri Smith assisted a bucket by Zamora to start the run, and followed that up with a made jumper, then a steal and another score. Magana scored on a give-and-go with Zamora, and Aubri Smith assisted another field goal by Zamora to close the period. Ventura led 28-15 at the break.
Plagued by foul trouble in the first half, Micaela Pericone-Kapp caught fire in the second, hitting three triples in the first seven minutes of play to give the Pirates a 39-21 advantage with 13:25 remaining in the game. Magana's third 3-pointer of the game made the score 42-24 before the corsairs put together a 10-0 run to stay in the game. Aubri Smith made a jumper in the paint, the fed Madison O'Donnell for a lay-up to stem the tide and put VC ahead 46-24 at the 6:02 mark.
SMC tried to mount a comeback with multiple long-range makes, but Magana and Pericone-Kapp both made treys down the stretch to help preserve the win. The Pirates went on to the 59-47 victory.
Pericone-Kapp joined Magana in double-figures with 14 points to go along with four rebounds. Aubri Smith had six points, five rebounds, three steals and handed out a team-high six assists while Murray dished out five dimes while pulling down five caroms. Erin Ross led VC on the glass with six boards.
Other tournament scores on Saturday included Laney over Diablo Valley, 51-46 and Taft over Contra Costa, 65-59, in consolation semifinals, and Mt. San Antonio over Canyons 70-51 in the other semifinal.
The Pirates will take on Mt. SAC in the tournament final in a rematch of last season's state championship game, even though the cast of characters has changed, especially for Ventura. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 pm at the Athletic Event Center, and will be preceded by Taft vs. Laney at 12:00 pm and Canyons vs. Santa Monica at 2:00 pm.