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VC Tops Moorpark for 1st Place

Despite not scoring a field goal in the final five minutes of the game, the Pirate men's basketball team hung on for a 57-56 heart-stopping victory over Moorpark College Wednesday at the Athletic Event Center. VC made just enough free throws down the stretch and played solid defense in the final minute to hold off the Raiders and claim sole possession of first place in the Western State Conference North Division after one round of conference play. Ivan Dooley and Jon McMurry led the way with 17 points while Vondel Faniel posted a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds in the win for Ventura (12-10, 5-1). It was the fifth straight victory for the Pirates.

Jon McMurry had 17 points and a crucial blocked shot in the final seconds as VC defeated Moorpark 57-56 Wednesday at the Athletic Event Center.
Jon McMurry had 17 points and a crucial blocked shot in the final seconds as VC defeated Moorpark 57-56 Wednesday at the Athletic Event Center.
Audio Box Score
January 29, 2014

MEN'S BASKETBALL:  Despite not scoring a field goal in the final five minutes of the game, the Pirate men's basketball team hung on for a 57-56 heart-stopping victory over Moorpark College Wednesday at the Athletic Event Center. VC made just enough free throws down the stretch and played solid defense in the final minute to hold off the Raiders and claim sole possession of first place in the Western State Conference North Division after one round of conference play. Ivan Dooley and Jon McMurry led the way with 17 points while Vondel Faniel posted a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds in the win for Ventura (12-10, 5-1). It was the fifth straight victory for the Pirates.

Moorpark jumped out to an early 8-2 lead four minutes into the contest, and maintained the lead throughout the first half. McMurry cashed in an assist from Jalen Young with 10:18 on the clock to close the gap to 18-15, but the Raiders wee able to pull away to a 29-20 advantage five minutes later. McMurry assisted Young's deuce at the 3:54 mark to make the score 29-25, but Moorpark was able to take a 36-28 lead into halftime.

The Raiders expanded their lead to 43-30 with a free throw at the 17:40 point of the second half, setting the stage for the Pirate comeback. McMurry started the road back with a 3-point play on the next possession, and Dooley's trey dropped the margin under double-digits with 15:19 on the clock. The Raiders were able to augment their lead back to 11 points, 49-38, but six straight points from Dooley cut the margin to 49-44 with 10:42 remaining. McMurry finally tied the score, 53-53, with a putback basket at the 5:11 mark, and the PIrates made enough charity tosses down the stretch to pick up the victory.

There were two ties and two lead changes in the final five minutes, and the VC defense turned back seven Moorpark field goal attempts, mostly from close range, in the final 2:23. In the chaotic final seconds, McMurry came up with a key blocked shot to help preserve the victory.

Halfway through the conference season, VC leads with a 5-1 mark followed by Moorpark, Cuesta and Canyons, all at 4-2. Ventura will host Cuesta on Saturday Feb. 1 with a 7:00 pm tip at the Athletic Event Center. The game can be heard live online on the VC Men's Sports Network.