Ventura Controls the Inside in Victory Over LAVC

The Pirates' women's basketball team controlled the inside in their 50-47 victory over LA Valley on the second day of the Gilcrest Invitational at the College of the Sequoias in Visalia on Friday afternoon. Maddie Ozbourn scored 15 points to lead the way while Mya Victor totaled 14 points five rebounds and four blocked shots. VC forward Kylie Gallick netted seven points with a game-high eight rebounds.

The Pirates had 20 points in the paint, compared to eight for the Monarchs, and they scored 15 second-chance points in the game. 

The teams traded LAVC three's for VC two's to start the game, with Ozbourn netting a pair of scores for the Pirates. Sofia Torres-Reyes drove for two to tie the score at six and Victor had a block on the perimeter, with a defensive rebound leading to a fast break two to give Ventura the lead. Ozbourn scored in the paint for a 10-6 Ventura advantage midway through the first period and Gallick made a free shot and a putback as the Pirates led 13-8 at the end of the first quarter.

The Monarchs quickly tied the game with a 5-0 run to start the second stanza. The teams were then tied at 15, 17 and 19 before Ventura closed the half on a 6-0 run. Ozbourn made a jumper with 2:06 on the clock and Torres-Reyes connected for two free throws a possession later. Ozbourn closed the half with another deuce off an assist by Alyssandra Lacanilao and Ventura led at intermission, 25-19.

After LA Valley began the third quarter with a three, the Pirates began to pull away with a 15-0 run over the next seven minutes. Lacanilao started the run with two made free throws, and Victor repeated the feat. Torres-Reyes drove to the hoop for to and Lacanilao and Victor each followed with one of two free shots. Lacanilao assisted a Victor jumper and Gallick followed with a back-down two in the paint. Another Lacanilao to Victor combo made it 39-22 with 2:46 remaining in the period. Ventura led 42-27 at the quarter break.

Gallick made a pair of free throws to open the fourth quarter, and Ozbourn's three from Lacanilao's dime made it 47-32 with 7:40 on the clock. Victor answered a LA Valley three with a deuce at the 6:02 mark before the Monarchs made a final push. LAVC went on a 11-1 run with a pair of long-range bombs around a traditional 3-point play, along with a lay-up with 2:46 remaining to make it 50-46. The Pirate defense did the rest of the work, holding off the Monarchs down the stretch for the 50-47 victory.

Lacanilao ended the game with six points, six rebounds and four assists and Torres-Reyes also hit for six points.

Ventura moves on to the consolation finals of the tournament on Saturday Dec. 4.  They will face tournament host College of the Sequoias in the high-noon tip-off.