After trailing for most of the second half, Ventura (14-5) grabbed the lead on Ctr Aaron Watson's putback with just under 4 mins left and held Moorpark (9-9) scoreless the rest of the way to win their WSC-North home opener.
Moorpark extended their lead to 38-31 on a FG+FT by SF Dallas Townsend early in the second half, but that turned out to be the high-water mark for the Raiders. They still held a narrow lead entering the game's final 5 minutes, and after Ventura grabbed a 3-point lead at 62-59, PG Anish Sharda nailed a 3-pointer to tie the game once again. But that turned out to be Moorpark's final basket of the night.
Ventura extended its lead over the final minutes on a series of FTs by Watson, PG Rashien Little and SG Jamie Sanchez. For the game, Ventura scored 27 pts from the line (though they also missed 16 FTs), compared to just 10 (of 19) for the Raiders. Another key stat was that Ventura committed just 7 turnovers in the second half after handing the ball over 15 times before halftime. Despite the first-half troubles, Ventura trailed just 35-31 at the break.
Little finished with 13 pts and 4 asts for the Pirates, while Sanchez added 8 pts. SF Elijah Muldrow tied Little for team-high with 13 pts. PF Raheem Jones had 8 pts, 8 rebs and 6 of Ventura's 13 blocked shots. Ctr Danny Gray had an active game off the bench with 6 pts, 7 rebs and 3 blocks.
For Moorpark, Sharda led the way with 14 pts and 8 asts, but finished just 4 of 16 from the floor. Ctr Mike Atkinson finished with 13 pts before fouling out in the final minute. Townsend scored 12 pts and grabbed 7 boards. Reserve F Tunde Alonge had a strong game off the bench with 7 pts and 7 rebs.
Thursday, January 3, 2003
at Ventura College
WSC-North
Moorpark Raiders 62:
0-Earnest Williams, SF - 3/9 fg, 0/2 ft, 4 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 6 pts
1-Johnny Gray, SG - 2/6 fg, 1/2 ft, 1 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 6 pts
5-Dallas Townsend, SF - 5/14 fg, 1/1 ft, 7 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 12 pts
22-Mike Atkinson, C - 4/7 fg, 4/5 ft, 4 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 13 pts
23-Anish Sharda, PG - 4/16 fg, 3/4 ft, 2 reb, 8 ast, 2 stl, 14 pts
3-Robert Palafox, G - 1/2 fg, 3 ast, 1 stl, 2 pt
10-Tunde Alonge, F - 3/8 fg, 1/3 ft, 7 reb, 1 stl, 7 pts
15-John McBride, F - 1/2 fg, 6 reb, 2 stl, 2 pts
40-Joe Dural, C - 0/3 fg, 0/2 ft, 1 reb, 0 pts
team rebounds: 9
Totals: 23/67 fg (.343), 10/19 ft (.526), 41 reb, 16 ast, 2 blk, 11 stl, 62 pts
3-pt fg (6): Sharda 3, Gray, Townsend, Atkinson
Tech Foul: Bench (illegal substitution)
Fouled Out: Gray 5:22 left, Palafox 1:47 left, Atkinson 49.4 left
Turnovers (16): Williams 5, Townsend 4, Gray 2, Sharda 2, Atkinson, Palafox, Alonge
Ventura Pirates 72:
10-Jamie Sanchez, SG - 1/6 fg, 5/6 ft, 2 stl, 8 pts
11-Rashien Little, PG - 2/3 fg, 9/15 ft, 2 reb, 4 ast, 13 pts
34-Raheem Jones, PF - 3/7 fg, 2/2 ft, 8 reb, 1 ast, 6 blk, 8 pts
45-Elijah Muldrow, SF - 5/13 fg, 2/3 ft, 4 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk, 1 stl, 13 pts
55-Aaron Watson, C - 5/10 fg, 1/6 ft, 10 reb, 1 ast, 11 pts
22-Roosevelt Bolden, G - 2/7 fg, 2/3 ft, 2 reb, 1 blk, 7 pts
33-Danny Gray, C - 2/2 fg, 2/2 ft, 7 reb, 3 blk, 6 pts
41-Matt Colton, F - 0/2 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 0 pts
12-Zach Mikasa, G - 3/4 ft, 1 reb, 1 ast, 3 pts
25-Jackson Wood, F - 1 blk, 1 stl, 0 pts
30-Sean Simmons, F - 1/1 fg, 1/2 ft, 3 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 3 pts
team rebounds: 9
Totals: 21/51 fg (.412), 27/43 ft (.628), 49 reb, 12 ast, 13 blk, 5 stl, 72 pts
3-pt fg (3): Sanchez, Muldrow, Bolden
Turnovers (22): Muldrow 6, Sanchez 3, Bolden 3, Little 2, Watson 2, Wood 2, Jones, Gray, Colton, Simmons
Halftime Score: Moorpark 35, Ventura 31
Updated Records: Ventura (#6 South, #11 Calif) 14-5, Moorpark 9-9
Moorpark led most of the way - by as many as 7 - before a Watson putback gave Ventura a 64-62 lead with under 4 mins left. Moorpark didn't score again. Ventura had 15 turnovers in the 1st half but just 7 after the break.
