VC Captures Battle of Top-20 Teams

The VC men's basketball team captured a victory in a battle of Top-20 teams Tuesday afternoon at the Athletic Event Center as the No. 16-ranked Pirates defeated No. 20 Sequoias, 78-76. Kam'Ron Cigar led four players in double-figures with 21 points and Jerimiyah Smith totaled 20 with 10 rebounds. Snookey Wigington netted 18 points in the game and Baron Bellamy contributed 13 in the victory for Ventura (12-3).

The Giants came in on fire, opening up a quick 9-0 lead against VC in the first three minutes of the game. Smith's made jumper broke up a 13-2 COS run to open the contest before Bellamy and Jeremiah Wilson hit back-to-back three's and Wigington scored a lay-up to bring the Pirates back into the game. Cigar scored consecutive lay-ups to tie the score at 17 midway through the first half.

Cigar hit a jump shot at the 5:54 mark of the first half to give Ventura its first lead of the day and Smith's 3-pointer extended the advantage to four points on the next possession, 26-22. COS outscored Ventura 6-2 in the final minute of the first half for a 39-34 margin at intermission. 

The Pirates' deficit grew to nine points, 46-37, with 16:23 remaining in the game before Tong Tong had an offensive rebound and putback to begin a 12-0 VC run. Bellamy calmly sank three free throws a minute later and Cigar followed with a made shot from range. He then scored a three after a steal by Tong and then made on of two free shots at the 13:35 mark for a 49-46 Ventura edge.

Sequoias retook the lead 55-54 with 10:52 on the clock setting up the barn-burner down the stretch. The Giants maintained an advantage of up to four points for the next seven minutes of game time until Cigar made a 3-pointer for a 70-70 tie with 3:21 left to play. Smith tied the game at 72 with a lay-up on the next possession and Wigington's three at the 2:13 mark gave the Pirates a 75-74 advantage. Wigington then hit a pair of charity shots with 19 seconds on the clock and Smith closed the game out with a free throw with eight seconds remaining to set the final count.

Ventura will close out its non-conference schedule on Saturday Jan. 3 at Los Angeles Valley.