Pirates Outlast Cougars in Double-Overtime Thriller

It took two extra periods of play, but the Pirates' men's basketball team finally put away Los Angeles Southwest in the second overtime, posting a 122-114 victory Tuesday at the Athletic Event Center. Baron Bellamy had had 36 points to lead VC (4-1) and Jerimiyah Smith netted 29 points with 14 rebounds and hit the game-tying charity shot with two seconds in regulation time. Christian Aukuso had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds in the victory.

LA Southwest took control early and built an 11-point edge, 24-13, midway through the first half. The Cougar lead expanded to 17 points, 35-18, with 6:14 remaining in the opening period before VC went on a 13-2 run over the next four minutes to close to within six, 37-31. Elijah Brown started the run with a 3-pointer and Bellamy scored an "And-1" with an assist from Tong Tong. Gaston Zumaya hit a pair of free throws and Jeremiah Wilson converted an old-fashioned 3-point play to bring the deficit down to single-digits. Wilson followed with a pair of free shots to pull Ventura to within 37-31 with 2:08 left in the half. The Pirates trailed 42-36 at intermission. 

The Pirates completed their climb five minutes into the second half with Smith made a pair of free shots to put Ventura ahead 49-48. Bellamy answered a Cougar deuce with a three, then made two of three free throws on the next possession, and hit two more charity shots on the next trip down the floor. Aukuso then scored a lay-up to finish a 22-8 run over seven minutes to hold a 58-50 advantage with 13:18 left in regulation. The VC margin stretched to 11 points on Smith's lay-up two minutes later and Brown's triple made it 71-59 at the 8:39 mark.

Ventura still maintained a nine point lead, 81-73, with 4:33 on the clock, before LASW tied the game at 87 two minutes later. Smith's lay-up gave VC an 89-87 edge with 1:13 remaining, but a Cougar jumper with nine seconds on the clock put LASW up 90-89. Smith then drew a foul with two seconds remaining, making one of two free throws to send the game to overtime.

In the first extra period, VC led by five, 102-97, with 58 seconds remaining when Aukuso drained a pair of free throws. The Cougars made a furious charge, however, and hit a three at the buzzer to send the game to a second overtime.

Both teams led in the second extra frame, with VC opening up a six-point edge with 1:11 on the clock on lay-ups from Bellamy and Smith. The Pirates were 6-6 from the free throw line down the stretch to hold off the Cougars, 122-114.

Bellamy hit five three's and was 11-14 at the free throw line en route to his 36 points. Meanwhile, Smith shot 12-18 from the floor and was 5-7 at the foul line for his 29 points on the scoresheet. Aukuso added seven assists to his double-double numbers and Brown also netted 17 points in the victory. Wilson scored 11 points while Kevin Anigbogu scored nine points and pulled in 13 boards.

VC next travels to Porterville for the Milt Stowe Classic on Friday and Saturday Nov. 21 and 22.  They will play the tournament hosts Friday and take on Lemoore Saturday.