VC Men Come Back to Clip Hancock in Overtime

The VC men's basketball team came back from a halftime deficit before defeating Hancock 85-81 in overtime Saturday afternoon in Santa Maria. Snookey Wigington scored a season-high 33 points, including 11 in the extra period, and handed out five assists while Jerimiyah Smith scored 22 points with 12 rebounds in the effort for the Pirates. Baron Bellamy added 11 points and seven boards in the triumph for the state No. 8-ranked Pirates (18-3, 5-0).

Ventura built an early 7-2 lead on a pair of buckets by Kevin Anigbogu sandwiched around a three by Wigington. Hancock came storming back, however, scoring the next 15 points in the game until Smith made a jumper at the 12:51 mark to end the skid. The Bulldogs went ahead 30-19 with 6:10 on the clock. Smith hit a triple and Bellamy score off an assist by Smith to pull Ventura back to within five, 37-32 and VC trailed at halftime 40-33.

The Pirates trailed 46-37 less than three minutes into the second period. With 11:20 remaining, Wigington completed a 4-point play after getting fouled making a three and VC completed their comeback with a 50-50 tie. The Bulldogs managed the next five points, but Jeremiah Wilson connected for a two and a three to keep pace. Smith made a jumper with 5:16 left in regulation to knot the score at 61 and Wigington hit a pair of free throws on the next possession to give Ventura the lead. Both teams held small leads down the stretch, and Smith made a lay-up with eight seconds remaining to put the Pirates ahead 69-67. Unfortunately, Hancock mad a pair of free throws with four seconds left to send the game to overtime.

Wigington took over in the extra frame hitting  pair of shots from range for a 75-71 VC advantage. Smith's dunk extended the lead to five points before another Wigington trey made it 80-72 with 1:10 remaining. Wigington closed out the game with a pair of free throws with seven seconds on the clock to seal the victory.

VC will close out the first round of Western State Conference play on Wednesday Jan. 28 at home against Oxnard.  Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 pm at the Athletic Event Center.