Men's Basketball Back on Track with WIn at Oxnard

The Pirates' men's basketball team got back on track Saturday afternoon with an 81-68 victory at Oxnard. Reese Widerburg scored 18 points with three assists to lead the way and Caleb Gilbert posted a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Carter Alexander added 14 points for Ventura (12-11, 5-2) as they began the final round of Western State Conference North Division play.

Alexander netted seven of Ventura's first dozen points and his 3-pointer assisted by Dominik Contreras made it 12-4 for the Pirates with 16:35 remaining in the first half. The Condors countered, however, with a 13-2 run to hold a 17-14 advantage with a trey at the 13:10 mark. The game remaind close for the remainder of the period with Oxnard pulling ahead 34-29 with 5:06 remaining. They expanded the lead to 39-32 with 3:15 on the clock before Ventura finished the half on a 7-4 run. Oxnard led at intermission, 43-39.

Gilbert got the Pirates going with a bucket to start the second half and Widerburg completed a 3-point play with 17:48 remaining to close the gap to 46-45. He followed that up with a field goal on the next possession to give the Pirates the lead. Kai Johnson knotted the count at 49 with a pair of free shots and Caleb Geisendorfer answered an OC three with his own triple for a 52-52 score with 13:39 on the clock. 

Gilbert's deuce on the next possession started a 10-3 Pirate run giving them the lead for good. Vernon Henry scored a jumper and Geisendorfer canned two foul shots before assisting Henry's lay-up for a 60-52 Ventura margin. Oxnard then scored a three before Geisendorfer netted two inside making it 62-55 with 8:59 left to play.

OC had one more run left as they closed to within 63-62 less than a minute later when Widerburg stopped the skid with a drive and lay-up. Widerburg answered the bell again with the Pirates ahead 67-66 with 5:16 on the clock and Contreras' old fashioned 3-point play opened a 72-67 margin with 4:07 left. The Pirates were 9-10 at the free throw line down the stretch to preserve the 81-68 victory.

Landreau Tate netted nine points while pulling in seven boards on the night and Contreras had eight points and four caroms. Geisendorfer added seven points to the victorious effort.

Ventura returns home on Wednesday Feb. 7 to take on Cuesta. Tip-off is slated for 5:00 pm at the Athletic Event Center.