Pirates Push Mt. SAC in Tournament of Champions Final

Ventura is the defending state champion with a new cast of characters.  Mt. San Antonio is the defending state runner-up and preseason No. 1 with many returning players in place.  When VC and Mt. SAC met on Sunday in the finals of the VC-Kiwanis Tournament of Champions, they provided another classic battle between the two of the state's top programs, with the Mounties coming out on top this time 47-46. The young Pirates (4-2) showed great improvement in stifling the experienced Mounties, and showed signs that they could be on their way to moving into the state's elite once again.

Ventura hung tough with their physical opponent from the beginning. Micaela Pericone-Kapp single-handedly was involved in an 7-0 Pirate run to give VC an early edge. She hit a 3-pointer, then assisted a bucket by Christina Gonzalez, and scored following a steal by Makenna Murray.  VC led 9-5 with 12:21 remaining in the first half.

The game was tied at 10-10 and again at 12-12 before Murray hit a pair of free throws to give Ventura a small advantage.  A 7-0 Mt. SAC run turned the tide, however, and the Mounties went into halftime with a 24-20 lead.

Mt. SAC continued their run as the second half began, scoring eight consecutive points, holding VC scoreless for over five minutes before Gonzalez broke the Pirate drought.  The Mounties stretched the lead to double-digits, 35-24 with 12:01 on the clock.  A steal and bucket by Gonzalez, with an assist by Aubri Smith, immediately cut the deficit back to single figures, and Pericone-Kapp converted another Aubri Smith dime to cut the lead to 35-28 with 8:15 remaining.

With VC trailing 36-30, Murray scored five consecutive points to bring Ventura to within a single point with 6:15 on the clock.  The Mounties responded, however, expanding the lead back to five, 42-37, at the 3:39 mark.  Following a putback by Madison O'Donnell, Mt. SAC was able to hit a bucket and free throw to stretch the lead to six, but Pericone-Kapp's 4-point play closed the gap to two points and kept the Pirates in the game.

In the final minute, and trailing 47-43, Aubri Smith assisted a Murray bomb from the top of the key to bring the Pirates to within one, 47-46.  The Pirates had two possessions down the stretch, but could not get a shot off, turning the ball over twice, including one following a rebounded free throw with under 10 seconds remaining.  The Mounties hung on for the victory and the tournament championship.

Pericone-Kapp earned an all-tournament selection, leading VC with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds. Murray finished with 13 points, two assists and two steals and Aubri Smith was named to the all-tournament team, scoring six points with four rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a pair of thefts.  Gonzalez scored six points while Brooke Zamora had five points and eight rebounds.  O'Donnell also recorded eight boards in the game.

The Pirates will travel to Visalia next weekend for the annual Tom Gilcrest Invitational at the College of the Sequoais.  They open on Thursday Dec. 4 at 2:00 pm against Reedley College.