The VC men's basketball team advanced to the championship game of the Gregg Anderson Memorial Tournament with a 73-68 win over Mira Costa in Lancaster. Adrian McIntyre netted a season-high 33 points to lead the Pirates (8-0) while Anthony McIntyre scored 21 points with eight rebounds. Kordell Gordon grabbed nine caroms in the victory over the Spartans.
Adrian was on fire early, scoring 12 of Ventura's first 15 points as they opened up a 15-8 lead with 11:31 remaining in the first half. The Spartans countered with a 10-0 run to take a two-point advantage before Anthony Garza scored a deuce to tie the game at 17. After a Mira Costa bucket broke the tie at the 6:32 mark, the Pirates went on an 11-0 run to re-establish control. Anthony Mc. hit a two and a pair of free shots to stretch the lead to 10, 32-22, with 2:22 on the clock, and Gordon's lay-up off an assist by Donavan Williams at the buzzer gave VC a 34-26 halftime edge.
Mira Costa opened the second half on an 11-3 run, knotting the score at 37 in the first five minutes of play after intermission. Adrian Mc. and Shulton Tobin each scored on old-fashioned 3-point plays to give the Pirates a 43-39 advantage, but MCC continued the charge, tying the game at 50-50 with a 3-pointer midway through the second period. Adrian Mc. answered with a lay-up, and Tobin's triple on the nest possession made it 55-53 with 9:32 on the clock. The Spartans tied the score once again at the 9:11 mark before Adrian Mc. hit from range to give the Pirates the lead for good. Garza's inside score stretched the lead to 60-55, and VC maintained their margin down the stretch for the victory.
Garza finished with seven points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals in a supporting role, and Williams dropped three dimes.
The Pirates advance to the championship game of the tournament for the third straight season after winning the bracket in 2018 and 2019. VC will face Cerro Coso College in the title game beginning at 5:00 pm on Sunday Dec. 5 at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster.