Ferrara Leads 2nd Half Charge for VC in Kiwanis Classic

Playing their third game in three days, the Pirates' women's basketball team found it difficult to find their shooting touch Saturday against Antelope Valley. Elena Ferrara was the first to do so, nailing three 3-pointers in the third quarter, and Olivia Huynh scored all eight of her points in the fourth to lead Ventura past AVC 55-50 in a come-from-behind victory on the final day of the VC-Kiwanis Club Classic. Alexa Coubal and Sam McKenzie also netted nine points in the triumph.

Antelope Valley's triangle-and-2 defense kept the Pirates off balance early. Dani Henley answered an early Marauder three with her deep shot from the right corner, and Tiernan Phillips converted Daphné LeBrun's assist on the next possession for a 5-3 VC lead at the 7:26 mark of the opening period, but Ventura took another five minutes of game time to find the bottom of the net again. However, the VC defense was solid against AVC, and Amari Hurt's jumper tied the game at 7-7 with 2:34 on the clock. Antelope Valley then moved back ahead and held a 11-9 margin at the end of the period.

McKenzie got the Pirates' first score of the second stanza two minutes in, and Hurt followed with another bucket as VC went ahead 13-11. Ferrara's triple off of Phillips' dime extended the lead to 16-12.  Antelope Valley came back with six straight points, however, and LeBrun's lay-up tied the score at 18 with 3:19 remaining in the half. The game was also tied at 20 and 22 before AVC scored two field goals to go up by four, 26-22. The Marauders led the Pirates 28-24 at intermission.

AVC started the second half with a pair of offensive rebounds and putbacks to stretch their lead to eight before Ferrara heated up. The freshman guard, who was left open in the Marauders' gimmick defense, nailed three 3-pointers over the next four minutes, scoring nine in the Pirates' 11-1 run over that span, to put Ventura ahead 35-33 with 3:55 left in the third quarter. Although AVC came back to hold a 38-37 advantage, Coubal's bucket assisted by Phillips put VC ahead 39-38 just before the third period buzzer.

The Marauders and Pirates then battled it out early in the final stanza before Leslie Salazar scored on back-to-back possessions to give Ventura the lead for good, 45-43. Huynh entered the game and immediately turned an offensive rebounds into a made jumper, and she scored a three on the next trip down the floor. McKenzie answered an AVC score with a jumper off of Salazar's dime and Huynh turned Salazar's steal and assist into an old-fashioned 3-point play to a 10-point Pirate lead, 55-45, with 4:37 remaining. that was enough for Ventura, who held on despite not scoring again in the game as they posted the 55-50 victory.

All-Tournament selection LeBrun again keyed the Pirate attack with five assists and two steals while McKenzie added six rebounds, three assists, four steals and a block to her point total, also earning All-Tournament honors. Coubal was Ventura's third All-Tournament honoree adding a team-best seven boards and two helpers. Phillips had four points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and a blocked shot.

Ventura (6-0) gets a well-earned break for the Thanksgiving holiday before returning to the court on Thursday Nov. 30. VC will take on host Sequoias at 7:00 pm in Visalia to open the Tom Gilcrest Invitational.