Off Its Game, Ventura Must Hold On to Win

VENTURA —  Sometimes, even the highly regarded Ventura College men’s basketball team can play sloppy hoops with gusto.

The Pirates (4-1) committed 25 turnovers but held off a late rally by Contra Costa to beat the Comets, 78-68, in a first-round game of the Ventura tournament Friday night.

“We’ve been playing like that for a while. We haven’t got any chemistry,” Ventura Coach Philip Mathews said. “One of these days someone is going to beat us who isn’t supposed to beat us.”

Ventura advanced to a semifinal game against Moorpark tonight at 8.

Sophomore forward Brandon Jessie and sophomore point guard Joey Ramirez bailed out the Pirates with their shooting, each scoring 24 points.

Twelve of Ramirez’s points came on three-point shots. Jessie also had a game-high 12 rebounds and blocked six shots.

Contra Costa played Ventura on even terms for the first 10 minutes of the game, tying the score, 16-16, on a basket by center Vernon Hall with 11 minutes 51 seconds to go before the intermission.

But Ventura, the runner-up to Columbia in the state championships last season and ranked No. 1 in California in the preseason coaches’ poll, surged to a 15-point lead, 40-25, late in the half.

Contra Costa (0-2) battled back behind the shooting of guard Desmond Billie, who finished with 23 points.

The Comets closed the gap to 69-60 with 2:41 remaining but a basket and a free throw by Thomas Gillespie and two free throws by forward Steve Amar gave Ventura five consecutive points and a 74-60 cushion with 1:20 left in the game.

Amar, a transfer from Oxnard, finished with nine points and had six steals and six rebounds.

Center Michael Tate had six points and five rebounds for the Pirates.

In other Ventura tournament first-round games:

Antelope Valley 83, Oxnard 75--Sophomore point guard Danny Prince scored a game-high 29 points to pace the Marauders (4-0).

Prince hit six of 13 three-point shots, four in the first 20 minutes, to help Antelope Valley to a 36-27 advantage at the half.

Wendell Nunnery had 28 points for Oxnard (1-3).

Antelope Valley will face Santa Barbara in a semifinal game tonight at 6 and Oxnard will play Compton in a consolation semifinal at 2 p.m.

Moorpark 82, Hancock 65--Sean Martin scored 17 points and had a game-high eight assists to lead the Raiders (4-1).

Martin, a sophomore guard from Agoura High, also connected on three three-point baskets.

Guard Michael Smith added 13 points, center Jade Peterson had 12 and a game-high 10 rebounds and guard Jaime Jaquez added 10 points for the Raiders.

Hancock (3-2) guard Tyrone Garris led all scorers with 26 points.

Moorpark will face Ventura in a semifinal game tonight at 8.