Despite a valiant effort by the Pirates' women's basketball team, VC fell just short in overtime Saturday in the championship game of the Buddy's All-Star Classic at LA Valley, dropping a 75-67 decision to Cypress. Kylie Gallick continued her inspiring play with 27 points and 14 rebounds, often times with two and three defenders draped over her arms, and Kenya Edelhart had 12 points , four rebounds and four assists. Sofia Torres-Reyes recorded 10 points with five dimes while Alisha Cruz-Lisberg totaled eight.
Cruz-Lisberg's early lay-up and a three by Edelhart gave the Pirates (8-3) a 5-2 advantage two minutes into play. Gallick scored off a Torres-Reyes pass, then Torres-Reyes hit a three to extend the margin to 10-4 halfway through the first quarter. Gallick followed a score by Jasmine Glover with a lay-up and two free throws for an 18-11 Pirate lead after the first quarter.
Jocelyn Contreras scored a lay-up, then hit one of two free throws to add to the Pirate edge, making the score 26-16 midway through the second stanza. Cruz-Lisberg and Edelhart each hit jumpers toward the end of the first half for a 31-24 Pirate lead at intermission.
Torres-Reyes scored five straight points for the Pirates midway through the third quarter, and Gallick's inside score made it 45-36 for VC with 1:23 on the clock. Cypress closed the period with two straight scores and VC led 45-40 at the quarter break.
The Chargers opened the fourth with a three, but Gallick netted buckets on four straight possessions off of assists by Edelhart, Glover and Contreras, respectively, and Ventura led 51-46 two minutes into the stanza. Cypress hit another triple to close to within two, but Glover answered with a free throw, then a bucket to maintain the edge with 4:59 remaining. The game became increasingly more physical down the stretch, but Cruz-Lisberg hit a jumper at the 2;20 mark and Edelhart made a pair of charity shots with 27 seconds remaining for a 58-55 lead for Ventura. Cypress tied the game with seven seconds remaining, and Gallick's shot fell short with a number of defenders on her on the final possession, sending the game to overtime.
Cypress scored first in the extra period before Torres-Reyes hit a pair of free shots to tie the score at 60. Edelhart's two free throws gave Ventura a 62-61 advantage before Cypress scored on consecutive possessions for a three point edge. Edelhart's 3-pointer with 19 seconds remaining pulled Ventura to within 68-66, and after one Cypress free throw, the Pirates had a pair of good looks from beyond the arc for the tie that bounced out. Gallick scored a free throw with 1.1 seconds remaining, but a flagrant foul call on VC with .7 on the clock essentially ended the game.
Glover ended the game with seven points, two assists and two blocked shots for Ventura and Contreras grabbed seven boards with five dimes. Edelhart was named to the all-tournament team.
VC returns home on Saturday Dec 17 against Los Angeles Trade Tech. Tip-off at the Athletic Event Center is scheduled for 5:00 pm.