In the showdown for first place in the WSC-North, #9 Allan Hancock led wire-to-wire and posted a 76-71 victory over host #5 Ventura, committing just 6 turnovers in the game and nursing a single-digit lead over the last few minutes to grind out the win.
Hancock (20-7, 7-1) never trailed, and opened a 13-point lead 12 minutes into the game. After Ventura (22-6, 7-1) closed the margin to 2 points early in the second half, Hancock pushed its lead back to 10 with 13:20 to go. Ventura got within 4 points a couple of times late in the game, but AHC made enough free throws in the final 45-plus seconds to hold on.
To start the game, AHC coach Ralph Gorton used a small lineup, and the Bulldogs jumped out to a 6-0 lead. Ventura finally scored its first point 4:10 into the game, at which point the VC faithful, who traditionally stand to start each half until their team scores, had started to get a bit restless.
Ventura rallied to tie the score at 6, but by that time Gorton had inserted 6-8 PF Demetrius Thomas into the game, and Thomas converted a 3-point play to put the Bulldogs back in front, 9-6. And Ventura would never quite catch up again.
Hancock stretched its lead to double digits when SF Khufu Najee made a pair of free throws to make it 21-11 with 8:17 left in the first half. SF Junior Anderson pushed the lead to 13 points with a 3-pointer 17 seconds later that made it 24-11 with exactly eight minutes left before halftime.
Ventura called timeout, and when play resumed cut into the deficit. PF Najee Salaam and PF Jaylin Airington each scored on putbacks to get the Pirates within five points at 27-22. AHC SG Leron Fisher answered with a basket, but left the game moments later with an apparent shoulder injury.
However, Hancock maintained its 7-point lead when the half ended, as the Bulldogs held a 33-26 advantage at the break. And Fisher was back on the floor, apparently none the worse for wear, when the second half began.
Ventura rallied a bit when the second half started, getting a pair of free throws from SG Eric Mitchell to make it 33-28, and getting within four points after a 3-point play by SF Ivan Dooley that made it 37-33. Salaam scored on a putback of his own miss to get the Pirates within two points at 37-35 with 17:40 left.
But Hancock never let Ventura catch up, and stretched the lead back to eight points on a driving lay-up by PG Devonne Nolan with just over 14 minutes to go. Thomas scored on a leaner from the free throw line to make it 50-40 with 13:20 left on the clock.
Hancock maintainted a lead of between 6 and 9 points the next several minutes until SG Joseph Soto hit a 3-pointer, Ventura's first 3-point basket of the night, to get the Pirates within five points at 63-58 with 5:20 left. Dooley rattled in a 3-pointer to get Ventura within four points at 65-61 with 3:14 left.
But that would be as close as Ventura would get. Nolan scored on a runner to make it 67-61, and Najee scored on a driving lay-up to make it 70-63 with 1:50 left. Dooley was fouled trying a 3-point shot and made all three free throws to get Ventura within four points again at 70-66, but Nolan answered with a 3-point play with 1:14 left that made it 73-66.
Ventura got within four points one last time on a 3-pointer by Airington with 46.4 seconds left. But despite some spotty free throw shooting by Hancock, that would be as close as the Pirates would get.
Nolan made one of two free throws for AHC with 45.3 seconds left to make it 74-69. Airington missed a 3-pointer for Ventura moments later; Dooley got the rebound but turned the ball over on an errant pass that went into the backcourt with 27.3 seconds left. Nolan and Ctr Seth Kena added single free throws in the final 26.6 seconds left to clinch the win for Hancock.
For Allan Hancock, Thomas scored a team-best 19 pts and added 10 rebs, 3 asts, 2 blocks and a steal. Najee also had a double-double with 18 pts and a team-high 11 rebs. Nolan had 15 pts, a game-high 7 asts and 2 steals. Kena added 15 pts plus 6 rebs, 2 steals and a blocked shot.
Though the Bulldogs shot just 37% from the floor and 64% from the line, the total of 6 turnovers, 3 in each half, was remarkable. By contrast, Ventura had 18 turnovers on the night.
For Ventura, Dooley had a team-high 19 pts and added 6 rebs and a remarkable total of 6 blocked shots. Salaam came off the bench for a double-double with 15 pts and 11 rebs. PG Zalmico Harmon had 10 pts and Airington had 9 pts plus 11 rebs.
The win moves AHC into sole possession of first place in the WSC-North, and sets up a huge showdown with LA Pierce on February 26th for at least a share of the conference championship. Ventura falls to 6-2 in conference play.
box score
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 - 5 pm
at Ventura College
WSC-North
Allan Hancock Bulldogs 76:
1-Khufu Najee, PF - 7/18 fg, 4/8 ft, 11 reb, 1 ast, 3 pf, 18 pts
2-Leron Fisher, SG - 3/14 fg, 0/1 ft, 5 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 pf, 6 pts
3-Devonne Nolan, PG - 6/13 fg, 3/5 ft, 2 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl, 1 pf, 15 pts
21-Seth Kena, C - 6/8 fg, 3/4 ft, 6 reb, 1 blk, 2 stl, 4 pf, 15 pts
24-Junior Anderson, SF - 1/7 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 pf, 3 pts
32-Demetrius Thomas, F - 6/18 fg, 6/7 ft, 10 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk, 1 stl, 2 pf, 19 pts
10-Gary Dysart, G - 1 reb, 1 stl, 0 pts
33-Josh Varney, C - 1 reb, 1 blk, 2 pf, 0 pts
team rebounds: 5
Totals: 29/78 fg (.372), 16/25 ft (.640), 43 reb, 14 ast, 4 blk, 8 stl, 14 pf, 76 pts
3-pt fg (2): Anderson, Thomas
Turnovers (6): Najee 2, Kena 2, Thomas, Varney
Ventura Pirates 71:
2-Eric Mitchell, SG - 3/5 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 reb, 1 ast, 2 blk, 1 stl, 1 pf, 8 pts
3-Zalmico Harmon, PG - 4/14 fg, 2/2 ft, 6 reb, 2 ast, 4 pf, 10 pts
4-Ivan Dooley, SF - 6/10 fg, 6/7 ft, 6 reb, 1 ast, 6 blk, 1 stl, 4 pf, 19 pts
11-Jaylin Airington, PF - 4/10 fg, 11 reb, 2 ast, 3 pf, 9 pts
44-Anthony Morman, C - 0/1 fg, 1 reb, 1 pf, 0 pts
1-Joseph Soto, G - 3/13 fg, 1/2 ft, 7 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk, 4 pf, 8 pts
23-Najee Salaam, F - 6/14 fg, 3/6 ft, 11 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf, 15 pts
33-Jon McMurry, F - 0/1 fg, 1 reb, 0 pts
41-Dennis Savoy, C - 1/2 fg, 1 reb, 1 pf, 2 pts
team rebounds: 6
Totals: 27/70 fg (.386), 14/19 ft (.737), 52 reb, 10 ast, 10 blk, 3 stl, 19 pf, 71 pts
3-pt fg (3): Dooley, Airington, Soto
Turnovers (18): Dooley 5, Harmon 4, Airington 3, Soto 3, Mitchell, Morman, Salaam
Halftime Score: Allan Hancock 33, Ventura 26
Updated Records: Allan Hancock (#9-South, #18-Calif) 20-7 overall, 7-1 in WSC-N; Ventura (#5-South, #11-Calif) 22-6 overall, 6-2 in WSC-N
Allan Hancock led wire to wire and by 13 (24-11) in 1st half and by 10 (50-40) in 2nd half.
Ventura got within 4 at 70-66 with 1:38 left and at 73-69 with 46.4 seconds left.
Nolan and Kena combined for 3 FTs in 6 attempts in the last 45.3 seconds left to clinch it for AHC.
