Six players scored in double figures as LA Valley posted its first win of the season, 88-85, over Ventura Wednesday night in a WSC crossover game in Valley Glen.
LA Valley (1-4) saw a 13-point second-half lead disappear, but outscored the Pirates, 8-5, in overtime to get the win. The Monarchs were playing in their second straight OT game after losing to still-unbeaten Antelope Valley eleven days ago on the same floor.
It was even in the early going, with neither team leading by more than five points until Ventura (4-5) took a 22-16 lead on the first of eight 3-pointers by SF Austin Ramljak with just over 11 minutes left in the first half. A basket by SG Joseph Soto after a steal & pass by PG Zalmico Harmon made it 24-16 and marked Ventura's biggest lead of the game.
LA Valley went on a 22-8 run to take a 38-32 lead after 3-pointers by SG Marcus Johnson and SG Margarito Pelayo, and led by 8 points again at 41-33 after Pelayo hit another three with just over four minutes left in the half. The Monarchs ended the half holding a 49-42 lead.
LA Valley started the second half with an 8-2 run to take a 57-44 lead after a free throw by PF Javion Garner less than two minutes into the half. But Ventura answered with a 20-5 run, taking a 66-64 lead on a Ramljak 3-pointer with 8:32 left in the second half.
The lead went back and forth for the rest of regulation time, with Valley taking a 79-75 lead after a driving lay-up by Garner with just over three minutes left. Ventura tied the score on a reverse lay-up by Harmon with just over a minute left that made it 80-80, and neither team scored again in regulation time.
Valley got a pair of free thorws from Garner and a short jumper from PG Alex Strauther to take an 84-80 lead, and a pair of free throws by Ctr Robert Looper made it 86-81 with 2:28 left. Then Garner scored on a lay-up with 1:31 left that made it 88-82.
Ventura got another 3-pointer from Ramljak with 38.5 seconds left to cut the deficit to three points, but didn't score again. PF Brandon Edwards missed a 3-pointer with 3.1 seconds left. And though Valley missed a pair of free throws after the rebound, Ventura was unable to get away another shot in the final seconds before time ran out.
Garner and Johnson each had 15 pts for Valley, and Pelayo came off the bench for 14. Johnson and Pelayo made 4 3-pointers apiece. Looper had 13 pts, all in the second half and OT, and a team-high 9 rebs. Strauther had 11 pts and a game-high 12 asts, and SF Justin Cook also had 11 pts.
For Ventura, Ramljak poured in a game-high 36 points, including the 8 3-pointers. Harmon had a double-double with 16 pts and 11 asts. Soto came off the bench for 8 pts and 15 rebs, and Ctr Dalton Francis had 6 pts and 15 rebs before fouling out late in regulation time.
box score
Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 7 pm
at the Monarch Sports Pavilion, Valley Glen
WSC - Crossover Game
Ventura Pirates 85:
3-Zalmico Harmon, PG - 6/19 fg, 4/6 ft, 3 reb, 11 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 16 pts
11-Brock Taylor, SG - 0/1 fg, 1 reb, 0 pts
32-Dalton Francis, C - 2/8 fg, 2/2 ft, 15 reb, 3 blk, 1 stl, 5 pf, 6 pts
33-Jon McMurry, PF - 0/2 fg, 1 pf, 0 pts
41-Austin Ramljak, SF - 13/21 fg, 2/4 ft, 2 reb, 36 pts
13-Israel Ibarra, C - 2/2 fg, 1/2 ft, 3 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 2 pf, 5 pts
1-Joseph Soto, G - 3/14 fg, 2/2 ft, 15 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 8 pts
15-Steven Plantenberg, F - 0/1 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast, 2 pf, 0 pts
44-Josh Marcus, F - 2/7 fg, 2/4 ft, 8 reb, 1 stl, 5 pf, 6 pts
25-Brandon Edwards, F - 1/6 fg, 2 reb, 3 pf, 2 pts
23-Najee Salaam, F - 2/8 fg, 2 reb, 1 blk, 3 pf, 4 pts
2-Eric Mitchell, G - 2/2 ft, 5 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 2 pts
team rebounds: 7
Totals: 31/89 fg (.348), 15/22 ft (.682), 65 reb, 17 ast, 5 blk, 6 stl, 25 pf, 85 pts
3-pt fg (8): Ramljak 8
Fouled Out: Francis 1:50 left in regulation, Marcus 4:50 left in OT
Turnovers (18): Harmon 4, Ramljak 4, Francis 3, Ibarra 2, Marcus 2, McMurry, Soto, Salaam
LA Valley Monarchs 88:
2-Alex Strauther, PG - 5/13 fg, 3 reb, 12 ast, 1 stl, 4 pf, 11 pts
5-Justin Cook, SF - 4/12 fg, 2/2 ft, 5 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 1 pf, 11 pts
12-Marcus Johnson, SG - 5/9 fg, 1/3 ft, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 2 pf, 15 pts
30-Javion Garner, PF - 5/8 fg, 5/9 ft, 4 reb, 2 blk, 1 pf, 15 pts
32-Robert Looper, C - 4/10 fg, 5/7 ft, 9 reb, 1 ast, 4 pf, 13 pts
3-Domanique Cotton, F - 1/4 fg, 4 reb, 4 ast, 3 pts
15-Margarito Pelayo, G - 5/10 fg, 4 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 14 pts
23-Rondell Bennet, C - 1/2 fg, 2/5 ft, 1 reb, 2 pf, 4 pts
4-Willie Crenshaw, G - 1/1 fg, 1 reb, 3 ast, 1 pf, 2 pts
team rebounds: 7
Totals: 31/69 fg (.449), 15/26 ft (.577), 40 reb, 24 ast, 4 blk, 3 stl, 17 pf, 88 pts
3-pt fg (11): Johnson 4, Pelayo 4, Strauther, Cook, Cotton
Technical Foul: Looper
Turnovers (14): Strauther 4, Pelayo 4, Looper 2, Crenshaw 2, Johnson, Bennet
Halftime Score: LA Valley 49, Ventura 42
End of Regulation: Tied at 80
Updated Records: LA Valley 1-4, Ventura 4-5
Ventura led by 8 at 24-16 in the 1st half. LA Valley rallied to lead by 8 at 41-33 later in the 1st half and led by 13 at 57-44 early in the 2nd half. Ventura went on a 20-5 run to take a 66-64 lead with 8:32 left. Neither team scored in the final minute of regulation. LA Valley led throughout OT.
