The forecast calls for Santa Ana winds to blow in the week ahead. The Pirates caught a sneak preview as Santa Ana College hit 13 3-pointers in a 81-77 win over VC in the finals of the Vaquero Shootout at Glendale College. The Dons used quick starts in both halves to make Ventura come from behind the entire game, and in the end, the Pirates didn't have enough to keep up with the team they vanquished from the Southern California Regional playoffs a year ago.
Santa Ana (5-1), ranked #13 in last weeks regional coaches poll, began the game with a 5-0 run and led 15-7 with under 14 minutes remaining. Back-to-back lay-ups by Randi Hicks and Eja Wong followed by a 3-pointer from Indira Kaljo brought the Pirates back to within one, 15-14 two minutes later. Santa Ana used the long ball early and often in extending its lead back to 26-19 with 6:50 on the clock. Ventura (3-1, ranked #5) came back again with a 8-0 run over the next three minutes, including a pair of old-fashioned 3-point plays - one from Michelle Santizo off of a Kaljo assist and the other was from Jenelle Conklin - to take a 27-26 lead with 3:54 remaining in the period. The Dons closed out the half outscoring the Pirates 128 to take a 38-35 lead into intermission.
In the first half, VC shot a season-worst 37 percent from the floor (12-32) and committed 11 turnovers while Santa Ana connected on eight 3-pointers in 11 attempts. Still the Pirates were only down by three points. and poised for a comeback.
The comeback did not immediately materialize as Ventura had a rough first five minutes of the second half. The Pirates had 6 turnovers and the Dons connected on four more long-range bombs as Santa Ana blew out to a commanding 54-40 advantage with 14:45 remaining in the contest. VC, forced to play from behind, slowly and gradually climbed back into the game. A Hicks jumper was followed by a Kaljo lay-up to cut the lead to eight, 55-47, and Kaljo's steal and 3-point play brought VC to within seven, 58-51 at the 10:44 mark. Trailing 64-54, Ventura used another Kaljo trifecta and a pick-and-roll bucket from Sara Nicholson to halve the Santa Ana lead during one sequence.
A Conklin runner with 5:05 remaining brought VC to within three points, 70-67 and Conklin hit a lay-up off of an Wong assist to give the Pirates a 73-72 lead with 2:54 left in the game. But as so often is the case, the Pirates used up all their energy oin the comeback, and could not finish, as Santa Ana outscored Ventura 9-4 the rest of the way. VC has a 3-point shot to tie the score with 6 seconds remaining, but it was off the mark, and the Dons won the tournament championship 81-77 following a free throw in the final seconds.
Kaljo led the way for VC with 23 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. She earned all-tournament honors for her efforts. Conklin was the only other Pirate double-figure scored with 13 points. Hicks contributed eight points while Wong and Santizo each added seven. Santizo also grabbed nine rebounds to lead Ventura and Jessi Selleh added six boards to an outstanding defensive night on Santa Ana's leading scorer who came in with a 24-point average (she scored only six points and fouled out with five minutes remaining.) Santizo also led the Pirates with three steals.
VC returns to the Athletic event Center for its home opener on Friday November 23 against Porterville College at 6:00 pm in the VC-Kiwanis Tournament of Champions. Other games in the tournament include defending state champion Mt. SAC against Taft at 2:00, Moorpark against San Jose at 4:00, and Contra Costa and Imperial Valley in the nightcap at 8:00.