Pirates Claim Optimist Tournament Title With Strong Performance

They came to play.  After two sub-par outings against LA Valley this season resulting in two disappointing defeats, the Pirates' women's basketball team came to play Friday, claiming a 79-39 victory over the Monarchs in the championship game of the VC-Optimist Club Holiday Tournament. Katie Campbell had an MVP performance with 31 points, four assists and four steals to lead the way. Sienna Brown was named all-tournament with her second double-double of the week, 10 points and 14 boards added to four blocked shots for Ventura (13-5).

It was a battle early with the Monarchs taking an early 4-0 lead.  Campbell splashed the first of her five 3-pointers to get the Pirates on the board, and Davina Del Castillo converted Campbell's steal and Kyleesha Green's assist into two points for a 5-4 VC lead.  Green's steal and lay-up with 3:38  on the clock put the Pirates ahead for good, and Del Castillo added to the advantage with another steal and lay-up on the next possession. Following an LA Valley bucket, the Pirates scored the final six points of the quarter, including a deuce from Christina Gonzalez and a three from Green.  VC led 21-13 at the quarter break.

Campbell scored inside to take the VC advantage to 10 points, 23-13, before the Monarch made one last charge.  LA Valley scored the next eight points to close to within 23-21 with 8:33 left in the first half, but would not hit another field goal for seven minutes.  Ventura took full advantage, going on a 19-2 run to close the half distance themselves from LAVC, 41-23, at the break.

Ventura continued to extend its advantage throughout the second half, outscoring LA Valley 19-8 in each quarter. Campbell's 3-pointer from a Green assist at the 5:33 mark of the third period made it a 50-25 game in the middle of a 9-0 Pirate run.  Del Castillo scored at the end of the quarter to make it 60-31 heading into the final 10 minutes.

Campbell scored nine straight points, all from triples, during one stretch of the final quarter as the Pirates pulled farther away from the Monarchs. Mary Shirley and Melissa Ohmie came off the bench in the final stages of the game to make the final score 79-39.

Green finished the game with 12 points, five rebounds, three steals and a game-high six assists and Del Castillo contributed eight points, 13 boards, two assists and two steals.  Rhiana Dougan finished with eight points and three assists while drawing valuable defenders away from other teammates on the offensive end. Gonzalez had a nice effort off the bench with four points and three rebounds in the game.

The tournament title was the sixth for the Pirates in the eight-year history of the Optimist Club Holiday Tournament, and VC's second tournament title this season. 

Ventura will close out non-conference play on Friday and Saturday Jan. 5 and 6 at the Canyons Crossover in Santa Clarita.  VC plays Citrus on Friday at 3:00 pm before taking on Antelope Valley on Saturday, also at 3:00 pm.  The Pirates open Western State Conference play on Saturday Jan. 14 at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria.