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     It was a game in which everyone knew all of the Pirates would get plenty of playing time.  Kris King took full advantage playing her best game of the season with 17 points, 12 rebounds, six steals, and four blocked shots in VC's 100-31 victory over Los Angeles Trade Tech Saturday night at the Athletic Event Center on the second night of the We Play Hard Crossover Classic.  Chanelle Brennan and Erika Ward each put up 18 points in limited minutes and Brenda Van Someren had seven assists as #1-ranked Ventura moved to 16-0 at the halfway point of the regular season. 

     The outcome of the game was never in doubt, as Julie Heurung tipped the opening toss to Michelle Santizo, who promptly drove in for an easy lay-up, putting VC ahead  three seconds into the game.  Ward hit the first of her four 3-pointers on the next possession and the rout was on.  Following a Trade Tech (0-9) trifecta at the 19:03 point of the opening period, Ventura (16-0) went on a 25-0 run over the next 10 minutes with Ward netting eight of those points, including two more treys, and Donielle Griggs connecting for seven.  Amanda Padilla nailed a 3-pointer with 8:47 left in the period to make the score 33-5.  After the Beavers scored at the 6:38 mark, VC closed the half with a 12-0 string, capped by Padilla second trey of the half with 1:11 remaining.  The Pirates led at halftime 47-7.

     The second half was more of the same, as Ventura simply overmatched Trade Tech, who is in their first year of play after the program had been suspended for a number of seasons.  To their credit, Trade Tech never quit, connecting on four 3-pointers in the second period in adding 24 points to their total.  But the second half belonged to King, who scored 13 of her 17 points in that stanza, punctuating it with a coast-to-coast drive through numerous defenders, turning a defensive rebound into a lay-up putting VC into triple digits for the first time this season.  Ventura won the game going away 100-31.

     Besides Brennan, Ward, and King, Jessi Selleh netted 12 points and Christine McPherson added 10, putting five Pirates into double-figure scoring.  Griggs also added nine points and Padilla scored eight.  King led the Pirate Windex crew with 12 rebounds while Lacey Escamilla cleaned the glass for nine caroms.  Brenda Van Someren scrambled for seven boards on the night.  Van Someren also led the Pirates in the distribution department, handing out seven assists.  Padilla and McPherson each gave away five dimes.  The Pirates, as a team, had 34 assists, which is the third highest total since 1990, and the best total in a game since Jan. 17, 2004 in which VC had 34 assists against Allan Hancock College.  King's six steals also led in the theft category, and Padilla had four steals on the evening.  McPherson, Van Someren, and Ward all had three steals each.

     Ventura has a few days off for the Christmas holiday before returning to action on Monday Dec. 29 at home against Los Angeles Valley College on the first day of the Optimist Club Holiday Crossover.  That game will tip-off at 7:00 pm, and follow a game between Orange Coast and San Bernardino Valley which starts at 5:00 pm.  On Tuesday Dec. 20 the Pirates of the North (VC) and the Pirates of the South (OCC) will swap opponents as Orange Coast will play LA Valley at 5:00 pm and Ventura will take on San Bernardino at 7:00pm.  All of these games will be held on the Ventura College Campus at the Athletic Event Center.