Fast Start, Strong Finish Help Pirates Run Past ELAC

The Pirates' women's basketball team outscored East Los Angeles 24-6 in the first quarter, and closed the final 15 minutes of the game with a 33-12 run against the Huskies in their 70-47 victory at the Athletic Event Center Wednesday night. Alexa Coubal totaled 24 points with nine rebounds and Sam McKenzie netted 22 points with seven boards, three assists and three steals to lead the way for Ventura (9-4) in the final game before a short holiday break.

The Pirates led wire-to-wire as Coubal scored three with an and-1 to get things started. Following an ELAC bucket, VC scored the next 12 to take control early. Leslie Salazar scored inside off a McKenzie dime and Coubal hit for another 3-point play in the paint. Amari Hurt scored on a turn-around jumper before McKenzie connected for three from the left wing. Coubal's putback with 3:21 left in the first quarter gave the Pirates a 15-2 lead. After  two free throws by East Los Angeles, VC scored another nine straight points to hold a 24-7 lead after the first 10 minutes of play.

Ventura cooled off considerably in the second stanza as they managed just two field goals, buckets by Daphné LeBrun and McKenzie, respectively, in the first five minutes of the period.  The Huskies also sputtered on offense with four points and VC maintained a 28-11 margin halfway through the quarter. ELAC then outscored Ventura 8-2 heading to intermission and the Pirates led 30-19 at the break.

VC's slide continued after intermission as East Los Angeles continued to heat up. Coubal scored a lay-up at the 8:13 mark to give Ventura a 35-23 lead before ELAC went on a 12-2 run over the next 3:17 of game time to close to within 37-35 with 4:56 on the clock. McKenzie assisted a three by Salazar on the next trip down the floor for the Pirates to end the skid beginning a 13-4 run to close the third quarter. McKenzie followed with a lay-up and Coubal's pass led to a lay-up by LeBrun to extend the lead back to seven, 44-37. Alexis Howery's steal led to a McKenzie lay-up and Coubal ended the stanza with a pair of free throws and an offensive rebound and score. Ventura led 50-39 at the quarter break.

The Pirates continues their run in the final period as they scored on seven of their first eight trips down the floor. After two free shots by the Huskies, Howery and LeBrun hit back-to-back three's and Coubal scored on a lay-up following Salazar's steal. Elena Ferrara scored on a jumper with 7:10 remaining and McKenzie followed with a steal and lay-up to push the advantage to 21, 62-41. Salazar had another steal that led to a McKenzie score and Coubal's follow shot made it 66-41 for the Pirates with 4:17 remaining in the game. Ventura continued the roll to post the 70-47 triumph.

Salazar posted eight points and four rebounds in the contest with a pair of steals and LeBrun finished with seven points, four boards, three assists and two thefts. Aliah Jackson, who got her first start of the year in place of the injured Tiernan Phillips pulled in four caroms. 

Ventura will take a few days off for the Christmas holiday before returning for the VC-Optimist Club Holiday Classic. The Pirates will host Glendale on Thursday Dec. 28 at 5:00 pm before taking on Irvine Valley at 5:00 pm on Friday Dec. 29. The weekend will close with Glendale and Irvine Valley playing on Saturday Dec. 30 at 3:00 pm to close the classic.