Strong Second Half Lifts Pirates to Big Win

After starting the game shooting 3-17 early, the Pirates' women's basketball team hit 56 percent of their shots in the second half to rout the Allan Hancock Bulldogs 75-43 Saturday night at the Athletic Event Center.  Brooke Zamora scored 16 points with seven rebounds to lead four Pirates in double-figures on the night. 

Before the game, the Pirates honored five teachers as their "Favorite Teachers" for 2015.

Ventura (21-5, 8-0) struggled from the floor in the early going.  After falling behind 2-0, Makenna Murray hit a 3-pointer, and Zamora scored a field goal to put VC ahead.  Shiloh Smith made a lay-up, assisted by Zamora, making the score 7-2 with 15:32 remaining in the first half.  Ventura did not score again for four minutes until Micaela Pericone-Kapp's bucket, making the score 9-6.  The Bulldogs tied the score at 9-9 on the next possession before the Pirates got untracked.

Midway through the half, Aubri Smith started a 15-0 run with a pull up jumper.  Six minutes later, Madison O'Donnell's 15-footer made it 24-9 with 6:19 on the clock.  Murray hit buckets on three consecutive possessions at one point in the run, and Pericone-Kapp made a pair of shots, including a 3-pointer.  The Bulldogs kept battling, however, and pulled to within 28-20 before O'Donnell's lay-up from an Aubri Smith assist made the score 30-20 at intermission.

The Pirates erased any doubts about the outcome early in the second half, outscoring Hancock 16-4 in the first seven minutes of the period.  A trey from Pericone-Kapp, and an old-fashioned 3-point play from Aubri Smith highlighted the run, as did strong defensive play from Murray.  A triple from Carly Maciel at the 10:35 mark extended the advantage to 51-29, and the Pirates never looked back.  VC rode the momentum to extend the difference to 35 points on a pair of free throws from Felicia Magana before settling in for the 75-43 victory.

Zamora's 16 points and seven boards led four Pirates in double figures, followed closely by Aubri Smith with 15 points and nine assists.  Pericone-Kapp had 12 points and six rebounds while Murray recorded 11 points with five steals.  O'Donnell also had a solid outing with six points on 3--3 shooting and six rebounds.

The Pirates will next host Los Angeles Pierce College on Wednesday Feb. 11.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm following the VC men at 5:00 pm.

The game is the annual Ribbons of Life Breast Cancer Game, featuring activities to raise awareness of breast cancer and to raise money for the Ribbons of Life Breast Cancer Foundation of Ventura.