The Ventura Pirates (11-5) began their quest for a third straight WSC-North championship with a near-flawless performance in a 101-63 win over a shell-shocked Cuesta (4-11) team Wednesday night in Ventura. Ventura began the game on a 27-8 run, thanks largely to 3 threes by PG Hylas Smith, and were never headed. A 3-point bank shot by PG Thomas Battle at the halftime horn gave VC a 50-21 lead at the break. A rare three by Ctr Danny Gray, followed by a steal and dunk by Gray moments later, extended Ventura's lead to 42 at 69-27 midway through the second half. And a layup by Ctr Gary Nunez at the final buzzer allowed the Pirates to top the century mark. On the night, Ventura shot 54% from the floor, knocked down 11 threes and had just 11 turnovers.
There were many standouts for Ventura, but topping the list has to be Gray, who finished with 21 pts on 9/10 shooting, and added 4 pts and 3 blocks. Gray began the game with 3 straight turnovers, including a pair of offensive fouls, before going to the bench in the first 3 minutes. But when he returned midway through the first half, he dominated the inside and ended up with the 21 pts.
Smith got Ventura off to the hot start, and finished with 14 pts (4 threes), 7 rebs and 7 asts. PF Moses Gonzalez had a team-high 24 pts, while SF Elijah Muldrow added 21. SG Gregory Johnson, who also played the point a fair amount of the time, had a game-high 10 asts. Backup Ctr Nunez had a very strong game as well with 14 pts and 9 rebs.
Things would have been far worse for Cuesta had SG Mike Green not put on a shooting exhibition with 8 threes en route to a game-high 30 pts. Ctr Jeff Kuhn had 9 pts and 9 rebs, and SF Jermaine Smith came off the bench for 8 pts and 5 asts for the Cougars. PF Ken Oputa played only a few minutes, but showed a lot of energy and managed 4 pts and 6 rebs. But overall, Cuesta shot just 35% and was never in the game.
In the womens' game, #2 Ventura (14-2) jumped out to a 19-0 lead and romped home, 68-45, over Cuesta (3-11). SF Coutney Young was the star, as usual, with 25 pts (5 threes), 5 asts and 8 steals. Ctr Kristine Gleisberg added 10 pts and 9 rebs., while PG Sascha Pack had 8 pts and 7 asts. Ctr Jessica Cox led Cuesta with 13 pts.
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Wednesday, January 7, 2004 - 7:30 pm
at Ventura College - WSC North
Cuesta Cougars 63:
3-Mike Green, SG - 9/18 fg, 4/5 ft, 2 ast, 1 stl, 30 pts
12-Mark Lewkowitz, PG - 0/2 fg, 2 reb, 0 pts
24-Joe Nellesen, PF - 0/5 fg, 5 reb, 0 pts
32-Isaac Ansah, SF - 2/8 fg, 5 reb, 3 ast, 4 pts
21-Jeff Kuhn, C- 4/10 fg, 1/3 ft, 9 reb, 3 ast, 9 pts
10-Phil Gibson, G - 1/3 fg, 0/2 ft, 1 ast, 2 pts
40-Scott Schmitz, C - 0/1 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 pts
5-Jared Nowell, G - 2/6 fg, 2 reb, 4 pts
14-Jermaine Smith, F - 4/7 fg, 4 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 8 pts
55-Nate Dyk, C - 0/3 fg, 2 reb, 0 pts
35-Ken Oputa, F - 2/5 fg, 6 reb, 4 pts
team rebounds: 2
Totals: 24/68 fg (.353), 7/12 ft (.583), 40 reb, 15 ast, 0 blk, 3 stl, 63 pts
3-pt fg (8): Green 8
Ventura Pirates 101:
10-Gregory Johnson, SG - 1/3 fg, 4 reb, 10 ast, 2 stl, 2 pts
12-Hylas Smith, PG - 5/9 fg, 7 reb, 7 ast, 1 blk, 14 pts
22-Moses Gonzalez, PF - 8/15 fg, 6/6 ft, 5 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk, 24 pts
45-Elijah Muldrow, SF - 8/18 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 reb, 4 ast, 2 blk, 3 stl, 21 pts
33-Danny Gray, C - 9/10 fg, 2/3 ft, 4 reb, 3 blk, 2 stl, 21 pts
41-Thomas Battle, G - 1/3 fg, 1 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 3 pts
34-Gary Nunez, C - 5/9 fg, 4/4 ft, 9 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 14 pts
25-Jackson Wood, F - 1/3 fg, 2 reb, 1 stl, 2 pts
team rebounds: 4
Totals: 38/70 fg (.543), 12/15 ft (.800), 39 reb, 28 ast, 8 blk, 10 stl, 101 pts
3-pt fg (11): Smith 4, Muldrow 3, Gonzalez 2, Gray, Battle
Turnovers (11): Gray 6, Johnson 2, Gonzalez, Battle, Nunez
Halftime Score: 50-21
Updated Records: Ventura 11-5, Cuesta 4-11
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Womens Game
Wednesday, January 7, 2003 - 5:30 pm
At Ventura College
Cuesta 45:
14-Staci Harris, SG - 2/5 fg, 3/3 ft, 6 reb, 3 ast, 8 pts
20-Lauren Villa, PG - 2/7 fg, 2/2 ft, 5 reb, 3 ast, 6 pts
12-Liz Manni, SF - 2/9 fg, 3 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl, 4 pts
21-Amberose Lucas, PF - 3/4 fg, 5 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 6 pts
40-Jessica Cox, C - 5/10 fg, 3/5 ft, 4 reb, 1 blk, 2 stl, 13 pts
10-Nicole Cardona, G - 2/5 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 5 pts
23-Erin Ruppel, F - 1/9 fg, 0/2 ft, 4 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 pts
11-Kara Wabbel, G - 0/1 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 ast, 1 stl, 2 pt
30-Lisa Smelser, F - 0/4 fg, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 0 pts
team rebounds: 2
Totals: 17/54 fg (.315), 9/14 ft (.643), 34 reb, 16 ast, 2 blk, 10 stl, 45 pts
3-pt fg (2): Harris, Cardona
Turnovers (29): Villa 8, Harris 4, Manni 4, Cox 4, Lucas 3, Ruppel 3, Cardona 2, Smelser
Ventura Pirates 68:
20-Sascha Pack, PG - 3/8 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl, 8 pts
23-Shannon Antunez, SG - 3/7 fg, 3/4 ft, 1 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 9 pts
3-Rachael Kolbeck, PF - 2/3 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 4 stl, 4 pts
12-Courtney Young, SF - 9/17 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 reb, 5 ast, 2 blk, 8 stl, 25 pts
13-Kristine Gleisberg, C - 5/7 fg, 9 reb, 3 ast, 3 blk, 2 stl, 10 pts
4-Medina Britt, G - 1/3 fg, 2 reb, 2 pts
10-Kimberly Kawasaki, F - 1/3 fg, 1 reb, 1 stl, 2 pts
15-Trisha Kawasaki, G - 0/1 fg, 2 reb, 0 pts
25-Lottie Kanama, C - 0/3 fg, 2/2 ft, 5 reb, 1 ast, 2 blk, 2 pts
33-Jacqui Heck, F - 0/3 fg, 3 reb, 3 stl, 0 pts
34-Sheana Triana, F - 1/5 fg, 1/2 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 3 pts
40-Yuri Inomata, G - 0/3 fg, 1 reb, 0 pts
41-Shani Quiring, C - 3 reb, 0 pts
24-Karly Castro, G - 1/2 fg, 1/2 ft, 1 ast, 3 pts
team rebounds: 8
Totals: 26/65 fg (.400), 11/14 ft (.786), 47 reb, 21 ast, 8 blk, 21 stl, 68 pts
3-pt fg (5): Young 5
Turnovers (26): Young 9, Pack 3, Gleisberg 3, K.Kawasaki 3, Kanama 3, Britt 2, Heck 2, Kolbeck
Halftime Score: Ventura 33, Cuesta 14
Updated Records: Ventura 14-2, Cuesta 3-11
