#8 Ventura clinched at least a share of the WSC-North title Saturday night, as Ctr Brandon Dixon and PF Kevin Menner each scored 27 pts to lead the Pirates to a convincing 87-66 win over host Santa Barbara. The win gives the Pirates a 2-game lead with two games remaining, including a showdown with second-place Oxnard Wednesday night.
Ventura led virtually the entire game, but SBCC kept it close into the last few minutes, trailing by 6 at 68-62 midway through the second half. But then the Pirates went on an 11-0 run to take control of the game, building a 79-62 lead with 3:15 left and cruising to the win.
SBCC scored the game’s first 4 points on a jumper by PFDave Barker and a steal & lay-up by PG Kola Togunde. But Ventura scored the next five points on a 3-pointer by Menner and a basket by Dixon after a steal by Menner to make it 5-4. SBCC got a putback basket by Barker to go back in front, 6-5, but that was the last Vaquero lead of the game. Dixon scored moments later on a feed from Menner to put Ventura ahead, 7-6, and a teardrop by Menner from the baseline made it 9-6. The Pirates never lost that lead.
The advantage grew to as much as 14 points at 38-24 with 3:43 left in the first half, but then SBCC SG Mark Keeten drained a pair of threes, sandwiched around a pair of free throws by Togunde, to get the Vaqueros back in the game. That made it 38-32, and at the half Ventura still led by just 6 at 40-34.
For much of the second half, Ventura nursed a lead of between 5 and 11 points, pushing the margin back into double digits at 46-36 after another basket by Dixon. SBCC drew to within 5 at 58-53 with just over 12 minutes left, and still trailed by just 6 at 68-62 before Ventura pulled away for good.
A pair of free throws by PG Prince Abidoye started the run, making it 70-62. Then Menner scored on a dish from Abidoye to make it 72-62. A basket by Dixon after a nice feed from PG Robert Wright made it 74-62 with just over 5 minutes left. Then came a free throw by Menner, and two more baskets by Dixon (both on assists from SF Eric Gray to finish the run and put the Pirates in control of the game.
For Ventura, Dixon had 27 pts on 10-of-11 shooting from the floor, and also pulled down 9 rebs. Menner went 8-for-12 from the field and also finished with 27 pts. He did have 8 turnovers, but only one in the second half as Ventura pulled away. Gray chipped in with a very solid game, making 3 threes and totaling 11 pts and 5 asts. Abidoye flirted with a triple-double before settling for 7 pts, 9 rebs, a game-high 7 asts and 4 steals. Overall, Ventura shot 62.5% from the floor, and allowed SBCC just 6 free throw attempts on the night.
For Santa Barbara, Keeten led the way as usual with 26 pts, including 4 threes, and 5 asts. Barker managed a double-double with 16 pts and a game-high 10 rebs before fouling out in the final minute. Togunde had 12 pts, 4 asts and 5 steals, but nearly all of that came in the first half.
With the win, Ventura improves to 24-5 overall and 10-0 in WSC-North play. The Pirates host second-place Oxnard next Wednesday with a chance to clinch the division outright against the rival Condors and former Ventura assistant coach Jeff Theiler.
box score
Saturday, February 16, 2008 - 7:30 pm
at the Santa Barbara CC Sports Pavilion
WSC-North
Ventura Pirates 87:
4-Kevin Menner, PF - 8/12 fg, 10/15 ft, 6 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl, 1 pf, 27 pts
11-Prince Abidoye, PG - 2/6 fg, 2/2 ft, 9 reb, 7 ast, 4 stl, 1 pf, 7 pts
20-Eric Gray, SF - 4/5 fg, 3 reb, 5 ast, 4 pf, 11 pts
22-Robert Wright, PG - 1/4 fg, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 2 pts
33-Brandon Dixon, C - 10/11 fg, 7/8 ft, 9 reb, 2 ast, 1 pf, 27 pts
42-Will Faiivae, F - 3/5 fg, 2/4 ft, 4 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 8 pts
10-Pepe Araujo, F - 1/3 fg, 3 pts
30-Alex Jamerson, G - 0 pts
12-Kyohei Kodera, G - 1/2 fg, 2 pts
team rebounds: 3
Totals: 30/48 fg (.625), 21/29 ft (.724), 37 reb, 22 ast, 0 blk, 9 stl, 13 pf, 87 pts
3-pt fg (6): Gray 3, Menner, Abidoye, Araujo
Turnovers (22): Menner 8, Abidoye 6, Dixon 4, Gray 2, Wright, Araujo
Santa Barbara Vaqueros 66:
31-Kola Togunde, PG - 4/7 fg, 3/6 ft, 1 reb, 4 ast, 5 stl, 1 pf, 12 pts
32-Bo Rodriguez, SF - 1/2 fg, 3 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 3 pf, 2 pts
34-Mark Keeten, SG - 11/24 fg, 3 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 26 pts
42-Dave Barker, PF - 8/20 fg, 10 reb, 2 stl, 5 pf, 16 pts
54-Alberto Rangel, C - 2/3 fg, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 4 pts
22-Alex Fleming, F - 0/2 fg, 2 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 4 pf, 0 pts
12-Joseph Bregante, G - 1/3 fg, 1 reb, 2 pts
21-Edgar Pineda, G - 1/2 fg, 1 reb, 1 blk, 2 pf, 2 pts
23-Brandon Greene, F - 1/3 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast, 2 blk, 1 stl, 4 pf, 2 pts
15-Jordan Scott, G - 0/2 fg, 0 pts
24-Sebastian Ryde, G - 0 pts
team rebounds: 1
Totals: 29/68 fg (.426), 3/6 ft (.500), 26 reb, 17 ast, 4 blk, 12 stl, 22 pf, 66 pts
3-pt fg (5): Keeten 4, Togunde
Fouled Out: Barker 59.5 secs left
Turnovers (15): Fleming 4, Keeten 3, Togunde 2, Rodriguez 2, Pineda 2, Rangel, Scott
Halftime Score: Ventura 40, Santa Barbara 34
Updated Records: Ventura (#8-South, #14-Calif) 24-5, 10-0 in WSC-N; Santa Barbara 10-14, 3-7
This win clinches at least a share of the WSC-N title for Ventura
VC went on an 11-0 run to build a 79-62 lead and take control of the game
