The Pirates ended a brief two-game losing streak with a 68-42 win over Citrus in the first round of the Buddy's All-Star LAVC Classic Friday afternoon in Valley Glen. Amani White led the Pirates with a double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds with a blocked shot, shooting 9-13 from the floor in the game. Aubri Smith handed out eight assists with seven boards for the Pirates (7-3).
The Owls held a 7-6 lead with 6:13 remaining in the opening period when Aubri Smith hit White under the hoop for two and a lead the Pirates would not relinquish. That started an 11-0 run over the next four minutes in which VC took control of the game. White hit the next two buckets, with assists to Aubri Smith and Alex Kalmbach, respectively, then Kalmbach converted a steal and lay-up. Aubri Smith made a free throw and a lay-up to make the score 17-7 for the Pirates with 2:58 remaining in the first quarter. Ventura led 19-9 at the end of the first 10-minute period.
VC began the second quarter with an other 11-0 run to basically put the game away early. Kyleesha Green went coast-to-coast from a defensive rebound to a lay-up, and Marissa Hurtado cashed in an Aubri Smith assist for two to start the run. Carolyn Ruffino hit a 3-pointer and Hurtado hit two charity tosses, followed by another inside field goal by White to make the score 30-9 with 5:58 remaining in the half. Citrus did make a run to close to within 32-20, but a Ruffino bucket before the half broke the skid and VC led 34-20 at halftime.
The Pirates quickly extended the advantage back to 20 points to begin the third quarter, and Felicia Magana had seven points off the bench in the final period to help set the final 68-42 margin.
White was the only Pirate in double-figures while Ruffino added eight points with five boards and a pair of steals. Hurtado finished with a solid performance with seven points and seven rebounds and Magana finished with seven points on a perfect shooting night, 2-2 from the floor, 1-1 from three, and 2-2 at the free throw line. Murray had six points and six rebounds while Kalmbach finished with six points, five rebounds and two steals.
Ventura advances to the tournament semifinals against Cypress College on Saturday Dec. 12 at 5:00 pm at LA Valley College.