Team Effort Pushes Ventura to Second Round of Playoffs

The Pirates' women's basketball team used the total team effort Wednesday to advance in the 3C2A Southern California Regional Playoffs with a 65-55 victory over San Diego City at the Athletic Event Center. Alexa Coubal led three Pirates in double figures with a 17-point, 17 rebound performance and Alexis Howery netted 16. Leslie Salazar scored 15 points with six rebounds and five assists and Tiernan Phillips pulled down nine boards for VC (19-10).

The No. 10-seeded Pirates led most of the way, only trailing the No. 23 Knights 2-0 early on. Howery took Olivia Huynh's pass and made a 3-pointer with 7:43 left in the opening period to give VC the lead for good and Howery's dime led to a lay-up by Phillips on the next possession. Salazar scored a lay-up on th next trip down the floor for a 7-0 Ventura run and Amari Hurt answered a San Diego score with a bucket for the 9-4 edge midway through the first quarter. Hurt and Coubal each made lay-up from Salazar assists in the final 1:23 of the quarter for a 14-6 lead after 10 minutes of play.

Coubal took over play in the second period, scoring the Pirates' first seven points. Her 3-point play with 6:17 on the clock gave Ventura a 21-11 margin. Hurt answered a Knight bucket with a pair of field goals and Phillips made a free throw to make in 26-13 for VC with 2:49 left in the half. City went on a brief 5-0 run before Coubal's charity shot at the end of the half made it 27-18 at intermission.

Ventura came out on fire in the second half with a three by Salazar after an offensive rebound and a lay-up by Howery in the first 40 seconds of play. Coubal hit a pair of free throws, then scored inside from a Salazar dime for a 36-22 advantage with 7:13 left in the third quarter. The Pirates maintained the advantage and added to it in the final minute of the period when Howery hit from range as the shot clock expired for a 50-32 lead at the quarter break.

City went on a 7-0 run to start the final stanza before Salazar ended the skid with a pair of free shots. Elena Ferrara hit a three with 6:16 remaining for a 55-41 margin. Salazar scored a pair of lay-ups down the stretch and Howery went 4-4 at the free throw line in the closing seconds to preserve the victory.

Hurt ended the game with eight points as the Pirates had 23 points off the bench in the game. Ferrara added five points and Phillips four.

Ventura advances to the second round of the playoffs and will travel to No. 7 Irvine Valley on Saturday March 2.