Lumas, Nichols Lead Ventura in Playoff Effort

The VC women's basketball team fought to the end, but ultimately fell 68-50 at Long Beach in the opening round of the 3C2A Southern California Regional Playoffs Wednesday. The No. 11-seeded Vikings used a decisive third-quarter surge to pull away from No. 22 Ventura. Kayla Lumas led all scorers with 20 points and Charnelle Nichols posted a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds in the season-ending decision. Olivia Decierdo netted 13 points with three assists.

Ventura trailed by just eight at halftime, 37-29, after trading baskets through much of the first half. Long Beach opened with a 20-15 edge in the first quarter behind 53.3% shooting, but the Pirates answered in the second, tightening up defensively and getting key scores from their starting five to keep the game within reach at the break.

The turning point came in the third quarter, when LBCC outscored Ventura 20-11 to extend the margin to 57-40. The hosts continued to find success in the paint and on the glass, finishing the game with a 42-37 rebounding advantage and a 40-32 edge in points in the paint. 

Despite the loss, Ventura received strong performances from its core group. Lumas led all scorers with 20 points to go along with nine rebounds and three assists. Nichols posted a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, while Decierdo added 13 points, three rebounds and three assists.

Ventura finishes the season with a 15-14 overall record. They were 8-4 in Western State Conference North Division play, good for a third place finish in the conference.