Ventura Falls in Heartbreaking Regional Final

Despite an outstanding team performance in which the Pirates' men's basketball left everything on the floor, Ventura dropped a heartbreaking 96-93 overtime decision at Citrus Saturday in the Southern California Regional Finals. VC's one-two punch of Marcus Watson and Adrian McIntyre recorded 30 and 29 points, respectively, to lead the way and Kai Johnson produced a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds. Tony Njia netted a dozen for Ventura (23-7) and Michael Noulowe had 10 points with seven boards.

Citrus held the early advantage in the hard-fought contest. Watson hit a 3-pointer to give the Pirates a 5-4 lead at the 18:28 mark of the first half, but the Owls responded with consecutive three's for the 10-5 lead. Watson scored a deuce and a trey to pull Ventura to within 17-15 with 12:32 on the clock, but Citrus answered with an 8-0 run, including two long-range bombs for a 10-point margin, 25-15, midway through the first half.

McIntyre ended the Pirate skid with a triple, before Watson and Johnson answered a Citrus deuce with an 8-0 run. Watson sandwiched a two and a three around a bucket by Johnson and VC pulled to within 27-25 with 6:43 on the clock. Two free throw by Watson, an offensive rebound tip-in by McIntyre brought the Pirates to within one, 33-32, and McIntyre gave VC the lead on the next possession with a drive and lay-up at the 2:28 mark. The teams traded scores before Noulowe hit a 3-pointer off a Njia assist in the final minute of the half. Aaron Dawoodjee took a huge charge on the ensuing possession, and Watson hit a step-back jumper at the buzzer as Ventura led Citrus 41-37 at halftime.

Ventura continued to hold the momentum into the second half, outscoring Citrus 16-5 over the first five minutes of the period. McIntyre started things off with a drive for two, and Njia answered an Owl three with his own shot from range.Njia's steal turned into two for McIntyre on the next possession, and Watson scored an old-fashioned 3-point play for a 52-42 Pirate lead with 15:45 on the clock. Watson had a steal and lay-up after a Citrus timeout, and then hit a long-range bomb at the 14:53 mark to expand the Pirates' cushion to 57-42. 

Citrus answered with a 10-0 run, but VC still held a 57-52 lead before Njia's jumper ended the VC skid. Noulowe scored a lay-up in response to an Owl deuce and Watson hit another triple for a 64-56 advantage with 10:19 remaining in regulation time.

Ventura maintained the lead for two more minutes of game time on a pair of free throws and a lay-up by McIntyre. But the Owls kept up the charge and tied the game at 68 with 7:33 left to play. Citrus then opened up a four-point lead 75-71, with 4:44 remaining. But free throws by Njia and Johnson, and a 3-pointer from McIntyre put the Pirates back in front, 76-75, a minute later. Johnson hit a big trey at the 3-minute mark for a two-point Ventura edge, 79-77, but Citrus turned it around to an 82-79 lead with 15 seconds remaining.

On the final play of regulation, McIntyre was fouled attempting a game-tying 3-pointer with less than a second on the clock. He calmly sank three pressure-packed free throws and the game went to overtime with the teams tied at 82.

The five-minute extra period was every bit as exciting as the rest of the game with three ties and five lead changes. Citrus scored the first bucket and Njia answered with a 3-pointer. McIntyre hit one of two free throws to tie the game at 86-86 with 2:41 remaining and Watson hit a pair of free shots for an 88-87 Pirate advantage with 1:43 n the clock.  Johnson answered an Owl score with a pull-up jumper with 50 seconds left before Citrus made a three on the next possession for a 92-90 margin.

After a VC miss, the Owls made one of two free throws with 14 seconds left, and a Ventura turnover gave the Owls the ball back with eight seconds on the clock. Citrus made one of two ensuing free throws, then got an offensive rebound and putback to seemingly put the game away, 96-90, with five seconds remaining. McIntyre hit a 40-foot three with 3.3 seconds on the clock, then almost got a steal on the Owls' inbounds pass before Citrus ended the game, and the Pirates' season.

Hall of Fame coach Phil Mathews brought the We Play Hard tradition to Ventura College in 1986. Many student athletes thrived under Mathews' direction, and seven years into his tenure, he passed the philosophy on to one of his star players, current VC head coach Joey Ramirez. For the last 12 years, the Pirates have continued the We Play Hard tradition under Ramirez, and it was evident for all to see for 45 minutes of basketball Saturday in Glendora. Despite the setback, the Pirates left everything on the floor and gave their absolute best effort, worthy of the brand they so proudly represent.