The VC men's basketball team battled, but ultimately dropped a 75-66 decision against Cuesta Saturday at the Athletic Event Center. Kevin Hymes came off the bench to score 16 points, including a 10-12 performance at the foul line, and Jeremiah Wilson netted 15 points with five assists. Kam'Ron Cigar recorded 11 points and eight rebounds in the game and Bo Dolinsek had nine points and seven boards.
The Pirates led 4-3 early on Sky Clay's jumper before a Cuesta 3-pointer. Wilson tied the game at 6-6 with two free throws with 16:58 remaining in the first half. The Cougars then went on a 10-0 run to take control before Cigar ended the VC skid with a triple.
Wilson's dunk with 5:28 remaining started a 6-0 Pirate run. It was followed by a lay-up by Hymes off a Dolinsek assist and Brandon Turner's bucket from a Elijah Brown dime for a 26-20 deficit with 3:05 on the clock. Brown and Hymes each made two charity shots to answer a Cougar three and Isaiah Dudley made a lay-up from Wilson's pass to pull Ventura to within 31-28 in the final minute of the half. Hymes lay-up made it 34-30 heading to intermission.
Despite early scores from Dolinsek and Wilson, the Pirates slowly fell behind the Cougars to begin the second half, trailing 45-35 at the 13:34 mark. The Cougars led by 12, 49-37, when a VC timeout preceded a 6-0 Pirate run. Wilson scored a 3-point play and assisted a Dudley lay-up before Hymes made on of two foul shots to pull VC to within 49-43 midway through the second half.
Cigar's jumper and two free shots by Clay maintained the deficit, 52-47, with 8:09 left, but an 11-0 Cuesta run ove rthe next three minutes of play put the Pirates in a deep hole. Hymes sank a pair of free throws to end the skid, and Dolinsek answered a Cougar three with a lay-up but the damage had been done. Ventura outscored Cuesta 15-9 down the stretch but ultimately fell 75-66.
VC next heads to Allan Hancock on Wednesday Feb. 18 for a 7:00 pm date with the Bulldogs.