VC Holds Off LA Southwest for Pre-Holiday Victory

The VC men's basketball team held off the hard charging Los Angeles Southwest Cougars for an 84-81 victory at the Athletic Event Center on Thanksgiving-Eve. Ventura had five players in double figures led by Caleb Geisendorfer's 21 points and nine rebounds. Caleb Gilbert totaled a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards while Reese Widerburg contributed 15 points. Vernon Henry and Beckham Rutherford each tallied 11 points and Henry dished out seven assists.

The Pirates (3-4) got off to a fast start, jumping ahead 5-0 on a pair of free throws by Widerburg and a 3-pointer from Rutherford. VC maintained an advantage throughout the first 20 minutes of play, moving ahead by eight points on Gilbert's three from a Henry pass with 13:16 remaining in the half. LA Southwest pulled to within 22-20 with a pair of free throws at the 9:27 mark before Ventura finished the period outscoring the Cougars 24-10.

Rutherford began the run with a triple and Geisendorfer followed with a deuce. Henry answered a LASW score with a bucket and Geisendorfer scored again inside and followed with a pair of charity shots. Widerburg responded to a Cougar two with a shot from range to stretch the lead to 36-24 with 3:34 on the clock. henry hit one of two foul shots and Geisendorfer scored on a dunk, and Rutherford netted the final five points of the half for a 46-30 Pirate margin at intermission. 

Ventura stretched the lead to 20 points, 51-31, with two free shots by Dominik Contreras at the 17:33 mark of the second half before LA Southwest began their comeback. The Cougars scored 11 unanswered points before Geisendorfer broke the skid cashing in Carter Alexander's dime for two with 14:10 remaining. Alexander then answered a LASW basket with a three for a 56-44 advantage. Widerburg hit a pair of free throws to maintain a 10-point edge, 58-48, but LASW continued to climb back into the game with another nine straight points. 

Carter made another triple with 9:40 remaining to hold off the Cougars, 61-57, but LASW countered with five straight to take a 63-61 lead. After a Derrick Young free throw, Henry scored a lay-up to put VC back in front, 64-63, and Widerburg followed with a two with 6:37 on the clock. LA Southwest grabbed a 69-68 edge at the 4:13 mark, but Geisendorfer immediately answered with a bucket to give the Pirates the lead for good. Gilbert made a three on the next trip down the floor and VC held off the Cougars for the remainder of the contest.

Ventura next takes to the hardwoods on Friday Dec. 1 at the Gregg Anderson Memorial Tournament at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster.