Ventura 68, Contra Costa 66

Nov. 29, 2003

Semi-Finals, VC-Kiwanis Tournament of Champions

  BOX SCORE 

     In a classic battle between two heavyweights in California's community college women's basketball circles, #5 Ventura defeated #3 Contra Costa 68-66 in the semi-finals of the VC-Kiwanis Tournament of Champions Saturday night.  The win propels the Pirates (4-1) to a championship showdown with #1 Mt. San Antonio College at 4pm on Sunday Nov. 30 at the Athletic Event Center.  Contra Costa (3-1) will play #8 Orange Coast in the 3rd place game at 2pm while Imperial Valley and #17 Lassen will face off in the consolation finals at noon.

     VC opened with lightening efficiency, scoring 6 unanswered points in the game's opening 78 seconds.  That was followed by a 10 minute scoring drought which saw the Comets score 14 unanswered points of their own before Courtney Young connected on three free throws with 8:48 remaining in the half.  Contra Costa extended their lead to 36-21 at the 2:34 mark of the foul-plagued period before VC scored the final six points of the half to close the gap to 36-27.

     The Pirates caught fire as the second half began scoring 12 straight points, including six from Kristine Gleisberg and four from Medina Britt.  Leading 39-36, VC continued the run, outscoring Contra Costa 8-2 over the next six minutes posting a 47-40 advantage with 11 minutes remaining in the game.  Gleisberg's basket with 2:25 left gave the Pirates their biggest lead of the night, 63-54 before free throws brought the Comets back into the game.  Contra Costa tied the score at 63 with 29 seconds on the clock before Kim Kawasaki's free throw gave VC the lead for good two seconds later.  Young hit two crucial charity tosses with 3 seconds left, and Britt sealed the win following a steal and two free throws with one second remaining.  A successful desperation heave by Contra Costa at the buzzer closed the score to its final margin of 68-66.

     Young led the scoring for VC with 17 points, while Gleisberg added 14, 10 coming in the second half.  Britt and Yuri Inomata each added eight.  Gleisberg had nine rebounds and two blocks to her credit and Rachael Kolbeck added six boards and four steals.  Sascha Pack dished out seven assists.

     VC will take on undefeated Mt. San Antonio, the state's #1 ranked team, in the tournament final Sunday Nov. 30.  The game is a rematch of last year's 3rd place game in which Ventura prevailed in overtime, 76-70.  The Pirates and the Mounties also squared off in the 2002 state championship game and the 2000 Kiwanis tournament finals.  Tip-off is slated for 4pm at the Athletic Event Center.

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