Pirates Open WSC Play With Road Win

Ventura's dynamic backcourt of Marcus Watson and Adrian McIntyre netted 28 and 22 points, respectively, as the VC men's basketball team opened Western State Conference play with a 90-67 win at Oxnard on Wednesday. Kai Johnson and Anthony Garza each scored 11 and Aaron Dawoodjee recorded 10. Johnson and Garza each grabbed five rebounds to lead the Pirates (13-4, 1-0) on the glass.

McIntyre hit a three and a two to open the game, and Garza sank a pair of charity shots as Ventura led 7-2 early. Oxnard closed to within 12-11 five minutes into play before Dawoodjee's lay-up held off the Condor charge. Watson made a pair of jumpers and McIntyre cashed in a dime from Dawoodjee and the Pirate advantage expanded to nine points, 20-11, with 11:22 remaining in the first half. Daniel Crocker scored a deuce with 6:27 on the clock to stretch the lead to double-figures, 33-23, before McIntyre scored two free throws, Watson hit from the foul line, and Garza hit a jumper for a 38-23 margin three minutes later. Ventura went on a 7-0 run in the final minute of the period and led at halftime, 48-27.

Oxnard cut the Pirate lead to 14 points on a pair of occasions early in the second half, but could get no closer. McIntyre, Garza and Johnson all scored to extend the Pirate lead back to 20, 61-41, with 14:11 on the clock. Dawoodjee's two free shots made it a 24-point game, 67-43. The Condors never really made a run down the stretch as the Pirates cruised in for the 90-67 win.

The Pirates shot 33-58 from the floor in the game (57 percent) and hit seven of 16 3-point attempts. Defensively, VC held the Condors to 36 percent shooting from the field (23-64).

Ventura next hosts Cuesta on Saturday Jan. 7. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm following the women's VC-Cuesta game at the Athletic Event Center.