PF Moses Gonzalez scored 23 pts and Ctr Gary Nunez added 18 plus 13 rebs for Ventura (#11 South, 4-3), but it was a true team effort for the Pirates as they topped visiting Long Beach (#6 South, #10 Calif, 4-3) 96-90 in OT. SF Danny Mena came off the bench to score 14 pts, including a basket and 2 FTs that broke an 87-87 tie in the final minute of overtime, and grab 11 boards. And PG Jonathan Davis' three - his only basket of the game and Ventura's only three - that clinched the win.
It was a close game throughout as neither team led by more than 6 points at any time. Ventura jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the first few minutes, but Long Beach tied the game at 22. A three by SG Enrique Marshall gave LBCC its first lead at 32-30, but by the end of the first half Ventura was back ahead, 38-37.
The second half was more of the same as neither team could pull away. Long Beach held a 74-69 lead until Gonzalez scored a pair of FTs and a short jumper, followed by a FT from Nunez, and Ventura tied the game at 74. As the clock wound down, Long Beach clung to a 2-point lead until Nunez scored on a putback after his own miss with 15 seconds left to tie the game. A last-second shot by LBCC PG Adam Bleem was well off the mark, sending the game to overtime.
Ventura's Gonzalez scored 4 early points in OT to give Ventura a lead, but threes by PF Demetrius Hazel and SG Barry Barnes helped Long Beach keep pace and the game was tied at 87 with under 2 minutes to play. Then Mena scored on a short jumper to make it 89-87. And when LBCC inbounded the ball, Gonzalez stole the ball and passed to Mena, who was fouled. Mena sank both free throws to make it 91-87 with under a minute left.
But LBCC wasn't quite done yet, and Hazel drained another three to make it a 1-point game at 91-90 with about 45 seconds to go. Ventura got the ball upcourt and ran the offense, but still hadn't managed a shot as the timer wound down. Finally, the ball went into the corner to Davis, who drilled a three to make it 94-90. And after LBCC inbounded the ball, Mena stole the ball and passed to SG Charles Dillon for a layup to make it 96-90.
Other standouts for Ventura included Dillon, who had 20 pts and a game-high 8 asts (but also 11 turnovers). PG David Van Someren had 13 pts for Ventura.
LBCC was led by SG Kejuan Johnson, who had 20 pts and 6 asts while shooting an amazing 29 times (8 makes). Hazel had 19 pts and 6 rebs, and SF Chris Fields added 12 pts and 6 boards. Ctr Eric Williams had a very strong game off the bench with 7 pts, a team-high 11 rebs and 4 blocked shots. And Barnes gave the Vikings a lift with 15 pts (2 threes) and 4 steals.
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unofficial box score:
Saturday, December 4, 2004 - 7 pm
at Ventura College
Long Beach Vikings 90:
5-Adam Bleem, PG - 1/4 fg, 1/2 ft, 5 ast, 3 pts
1-Kejuan Johnson, SG - 8/29 fg, 4/7 ft, 3 reb, 6 ast, 5 stl, 20 pts
21-Chris Fields, SF - 5/14 fg, 0/1 ft, 6 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl, 12 pts
31-Demetrius Hazel, PF - 6/14 fg, 4/4 ft, 6 reb, 19 pts
52-Ayo Adigun, C - 2/4 fg, 2 reb, 1 blk, 4 pts
4-Chris Hart, G - 1/3 fg, 3/6 ft, 4 reb, 6 ast, 4 stl, 5 pts
50-Eric Williams, C - 3/10 fg, 1/1 ft, 11 reb, 4 blk, 1 stl, 7 pts
2-Enrique Marshall, G - 1/1 fg, 1 stl, 3 pts
33-Mike Pope, C - 0/1 fg, 1 reb, 0 pts
15-Sterling Vines, F - 1/1 fg, 1 reb, 2 pts
3-Barry Barnes, G - 5/12 fg, 3/4 ft, 3 reb, 4 stl, 15 pts
team rebounds: 9
Totals: 33/93 fg (.355), 16/25 ft (.640), 45 reb, 17 ast, 7 blk, 18 stl, 90 pts
3-pt fg (8): Hazel 3, Fields 2, Barnes 2, Marshall
Tech Foul: Hazel, Barnes
Fouled Out: Fields 6:46 left, Hart 3:24 left
Turnovers (20): Fields 4, Barnes 4, Bleem 3, Johnson 3, Hart 3, Hazel, Adigun, Williams
Ventura Pirates 96:
41-David Van Someren, PG - 4/9 fg, 5/6 ft, 2 reb, 2 ast, 4 stl, 13 pts
32-Jonathan Davis, SG - 1/2 fg, 2 reb, 3 ast, 3 pts
21-Charles Dillon, SF - 5/11 fg, 10/13 ft, 4 reb, 8 ast, 3 stl, 20 pts
22-Moses Gonzalez, PF - 9/18 fg, 5/6 ft, 8 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 23 pts
34-Gary Nunez, C - 8/15 fg, 2/4 ft, 13 reb, 4 blk, 18 pts
25-Danny Mena, F - 4/6 fg, 6/7 ft, 11 reb, 2 ast, 4 stl, 14 pts
10-Kenji Rocket, G - 0/1 fg, 0/1 ft, 0 pts
33-Ephraim Williams, C - 1/2 fg, 1/1 ft, 1 blk, 3 pts
11-Ali Hinds, F - 0/2 fg, 2/2 ft, 2 reb, 2 pts
20-Gabe Flores, G - 1 reb, 2 ast, 0 pts
45-Niinortey Annang, F - 0/2 ft, 2 reb, 0 pts
team rebounds: 9
Totals: 32/66 fg (.485), 31/42 ft (.738), 54 reb, 21 ast, 5 blk, 12 stl, 96 pts
3-pt fg (1): Davis
Turnovers (32): Dillon 11, Gonzalez 7, Mena 5, Davis 3, Van Someren 2, Nunez, Rocket, Hinds, Flores
Halftime Score: Ventura 38, Long Beach 37
End of Regulation: Tied at 81
Updated Records: Both teams are now 4-3
