Sofia Torres-Reyes and Kylie Gallick both posted double-doubles with 19 points and 10 rebounds, and 12 points and 10 boards, respectively, and Kenya Edelhart scored 14 points with seven assists as the Pirates' women's basketball team posted a 79-73 victory over Los Angeles Trade Tech Saturday. Jocelyn Contreras scored a career-high 14 points and Jasmine Glover netted eight in the triumph at the Athletic Event Center.
The opening period featured runs by each team. Trade Tech scored eight of the first nine points of the game, taking an 8-1 advantage three minutes into play before VC (9-3) scored the next 10 points over four minutes of game time. Alisha Cruz-Lisberg sandwiched a pair of field goals around a 3-pointer by Contreras to tie the score. Torres-Reyes then cashed in a Cruz-Lisberg assist for another three and the Pirates took an 11-8 lead at the 3:53 mark. The teams then traded scores and Ventura trailed 16-15 at the end of the quarter.
The game remained close through the second stanza with the score knotted at 27 with 4:02 on the clock. The Pirates took some control at that point, outscoring the Beavers 15-5 to close the half. Torres-Reyes cashed in a dime from Edelhart for two, then Edelhart recorded a deuce. Contreras netted two after a steal by Torres-Reyes and an assist by Edelhart and Alexis Howery hit a pair of free throws for a 35-27 margin. Torres-Reyes answered a LATT score, as did Contreras before Torres-Reyes hit one of two free shots. Gallick hit a putback at the buzzer to open up a 42-32 lead for Ventura at intermission.
Ventura continued to pull away after halftime. Gallick opened the stanza with a bucket and Contreras converted an "and-1" off a pass from Cruz-Lisberg on the next trip down the floor. Torres-Reyes hit from range and Edelhart scored an old-fashioned 3-point play for an 18-point margin, 57-39, with 5:42 on the clock. Cruz-Lisberg scored on a drive following a Trade tech free throw and VC held its largest lead of the night, 59-40, at the 4:06 mark. The Pirates could not maintain the momentum, however, and were outscored 9-4 in the final four minutes of the quarter and led 63-49 at the quarter break.
Talitha Draper and Glover each netted field goals to open the final period, stretching the lead back to 67-49 before the Beavers began their comeback. Trade Tech went on a 13-2 run over the next four minutes, closing to within 69-62 before Torres-Reyes scored off an Edelhart pass to slow the skid. Edelhart made a pair of charity shots to extend the lead back to double-figures before LATT scored the next nine points to make it 75-71 headed to the final minute. Torres-Reyes then nailed two free throws with 23 seconds remaining to put the game away for the Pirates.
Ventura was a solid 31-56 from the floor (55%) and made 14 of 17 free throws (92%), and also outrebounded LATT 37-24, but 20 turnovers and 21 team fouls helped keep the Beavers around to the end of the game.
The Pirates will close their pre-Christmas schedule with a Game at East Los Angeles College on Wednesday Dec. 21. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 pm in Monterey Park.