Men's Basketball Completes Come Back With Overtime Win

Isiah Reyes scored a team-high 23 points, including a coact-to-coast drive for a lay-up in the final seconds of regulation time, as Ventura College's men's basketball team outlasted Moorpark in overtime, 97-93 Saturday at Raider Pavilion. Jacob Alonzo added 21 points, including five made 3-pointers, as the Pirates (14-7, 2-0) came back from a 20-point deficit midway through the first half to claim the victory. Malcolm Ruff had 13 points and 12 rebounds for VC.

The hosts took the early advantage, racing to a 10-3 lead barely two minutes into play. Darrell Handy-Johnson turned an Alonzo assist into a slam dunk, and his brother Terrell Handy-Johnson hit a pair of free throws to pull VC to within 10-7 at the 16:28 mark of the first half, but that would be as close as the Pirates got for a while. Moorpark went on an 18-1 run over the next five minutes to build a 28-8 margin with 11:15 on the clock. 

Alonzo broke the Pirate skid with a 3-pointer, beginning the long road back for VC. Reyes hit two charity tosses, and Isaac Ramirez hit from downtown to make it a 14-point game with 8:27 on the clock, and Ruff's tip in off a missed shot made the score 33-20 at the 6:23 mark. Ruff then had a steal, fed Ramirez, who it turn hit Alonzo for three as the Pirates cut the deficit to 35-24 with 5:23 remaining in the half. Reyes had two more free throws, and Dondre Watson scored on a lay-up to cut it to eight, 42-34, but a 3-pointer at the buzzer gave Moorpark the 45-34 halftime edge.

The Pirates quickly ate into the Raider lead to begin the second half with two straight scores by Reyes. MC countered with six straight points before an Alonzo triple returned the margin to an even 10, 41-31, with 15:53 on the clock. Darrell H-J and Reyes made five of six free shots during one stretch, closing the gap to 55-48, and a steal by Taylor Sturgeon, an assist by Lamont Landers, and a 3-pointer by Ramirez cut the margin to 55-51 with 12:25 remaining on the clock. Two Landers free throws narrowed the deficit to three, and Darrell H-J  completed an old-fashioned 3-point play to cut the Moorpark lead to two, 58-56, halfway through the final period.

The Pirates stayed closed for the next few minutes, but could not get over the hump to tie the score. Moorpark eventually built their lead back to 10 points, 72-62, with 6:19 on the clock. The Pirates began their final surge, a 9-0 run, with two buckets from Ruff, a score from Reyes, and a three by John Williams, to make it a 72-71 game with 4:09 remaining. Ruff then scored twice, sandwiched around two charity tosses by Landers, to maintain the one point deficit, and Reyes finally finished the comeback with a lay-up with 1:24 on the clock, giving the Pirates a 79-78 advantage. Moorpark answered with a deuce 15 seconds later, and Reyes tied the score with one of two free throws in the final minute. Moorpark scored a bucket to take an 82-80 lead with seven seconds remaining, but Reyes took the ensuing inbounds pass the length of the court for a game-tying lay-up, sending the contest to the extra period.

In overtime, the teams traded free throws, then buckets to remain tied. The Raiders then hit a 3-pointer to take an 89-86 lead with 3:04 left to play before two Ruff free shots and a john Williams three swung the tide back to VC, 91-89, a minute later. MC tied the score with two free throws, Reyes scored a field goal, and Moorpark tied the game again, 93-93, with 40 seconds left. Jacob Alonzo then came up with a big offensive rebound, and was fouled, hitting two free throws for a 95-93 Pirate lead. Ruff then collected a big defensive rebound and Alonzo was fouled again, sinking two more charity shots for the final 97-93 victory margin for Ventura.

The Pirates led for a grand total of approximately 1:15 of the 45-minute game, but they led at the end, and that's what counts for the win.

Williams had 15 points and nine rebounds for Ventura and Darrell H-J contributed eight points.

The Pirates will next host Oxnard College on Wednesday Jan. 24. Game time with the Condors is scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm at the Athletic Event Center.