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     In Las Vegas blackjack the house stands on 17.  In the Pirates' house Tuesday night, four VC players stood on 17 points, and top-ranked Ventura continued its winning ways with a 79-58 victory over San Bernardino Valley on the final day of the Optimist Club Holiday Crossover.  Sophomores Julie Heurung, Jessi Selleh, and freshmen Chanelle Brennan and Erika Ward all netted 17 points for Ventura on the evening where the Pirates did not play their best, but they still were able to please the home crowd with their 18th consecutive win of the season.

     The Pirates were down 9-7 with 13:18 remaining in the opening period before their offense and fast break began to heat up.  Brennan connected on a fast break lay-up to tie the score and Ward added a bucket to give VC the lead for good at the 11:43 mark.  Then Heurung grabbed a defensive rebound, outlet the ball to Brennan, who, in turn, hit Selleh streaking to the basket for another fast break lay-up and the Pirate Express took off.  Amanda Padilla hit Brennan on another fast break to make the score 18-11, and Ward followed with a tear drop shot off her drive down the right baseline to put the Pirates ahead 20-15 with 7:28 on the clock.  San Bernardino Valley (9-8) pulled to within seven, 24-17, at the 6:13 mark, but were outscored 17-9 the rest of the way to halftime.  With 4:30 remaining until the break, Michelle Santizo knocked the ball away from a Wolverine offensive player and Selleh recovered the loose ball.  She quickly passed back to Santizo, who then hit Brennan running the floor once again to complete six straight VC points, making the score 30-17.  Following a SBVC 3-pointer with 22 ticks remaining, Ward dribbled off of Lacey Escamilla's screen at the top of the key to answer with her own trifecta, giving the Pirates a 41-26 halftime advantage.

      If there was any doubt as to the outcome of the contest, Ventura (18-0) answered it in the opening minutes of the final period.  SBVC missed its first seven field goal attempts, and VC outscored the Wolverines 19-2 over seven minutes to take full control of the game.  Selleh hit back-to-back long-range bombs to open the half, followed by a pair of Heurung charity tosses and a 3-pointer from Ward.  Donielle Griggs got into the act with her own drive to the bucket, followed by two conventional baskets by Ward, and then by Selleh.  Selleh's field goal at the 13:18 mark gave the Pirates a 60-28 advantage.  The Wolverines did not give up the fight, however, closing the gap to 65-48 before Griggs hit a 3-pointer from the left corner to stop their momentum with 5:10 remaining.  Griggs hit Huerung in the paint a minute later making the score 70-48, before San Bernardino scored six straight points to come to within 16 points with two minutes left to play.  Irma Rivera hit Escamilla for a lay-up, foul, and free throw at the 1:38 mark, completing the old-fashioned 3-point play sealing the Pirate victory.   Ventura went on to win 79-58.

     Heurung, Selleh, Brennan, and Ward all hit for 17 points for the Pirates.  Heurung also had eight rebounds and three assists while Brennan grabbed six boards, handed out three dimes, and had three steals.  Santizo had six assists and six steals, Selleh added three thefts of her own, and Griggs had three assists.

  The Pirates will take New Year's Eve off before beginning their preparations for the final non-conference game of the season.  They host Compton College on Saturday Jan. 3 at 7:00 pm at the Athletic Event Center.  The game is scheduled to be broadcast on www.HomeFieldSports.com.  Ventura will begin Western State Conference play on Wednesday Jan. 7 at home against Cuesta.  The VC men will play at 5:00 pm followed by the women at 7:00 pm.