WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: There are very few rules with the VC women's basketball team, and the ones that do exist are usually philosophical rules of life that can also apply to basketball. Rule No. 1 is "Don't beat yourself, " but for the third time the season, the Pirates (12-3) did just that on Saturday night. Ventura shot a dismal 12-26 at the free throw line and missed at numerous open looks close to the basket in their 75-72 loss to Pasadena City College, halting the team's 5-game winning streak and likely ending VC's brief time atop the state polls. Lisa Marie Sanchez had a career night with 34 points, including 10 in the final 24 seconds of the game, but it was not enough to brighten their Christmas cheer as they head into the holiday break.
The Pirates looked solid early, taking a 12-6 advantage on nine points from Sanchez i the first 7:22 of the deliberately played contest. Pasadena took the reigns at that point, however, heading out on a 19-2 run over then next seven minutes of play. Adrianna Vega hit a 3-pointer with 5:16 remaining to end the run, but the damage had been done with the Lancers leading 25-17 at that point. Pasadena went into halftime with a 34-23 advantage as VC shot just 8-32 in the period (25 percent), and hit four of 11 tries at the free throw line (36 percent).
No. 5 Pasadena opened the second half with a pair of buckets, but the Pirates managed to stay within shouting distance, beginning with a trey from Vega at the 17:04 mark. The Lancers were unable to score for four minutes, byt the Pirates could only manage a Sanchez 3-pointer in that stretch as PCC led 38-29 with 14:59 remaining in the contest. the Lancers opened up a 13-point margin at the 11:03 mark, 47-34, but a 4-point play from Cynthia Hernandez brought the game back to single-digits. A 3-pointer gave Pasadena a 66-56 lead with 1:56 left to play before Sanchez led an improbable comeback attempt.
A Sanchez bucket followed by two free throws from Adrianne Sloboh and another Sloboh drive and lay-up closed the gap to 66-62 with 58.6 seconds remaining. The Lancers scored a 3-point play at the 39.4 second mark, and hit two free throws on the next possession, but Sanchez answered with a triple with 23.5 seconds remaining. Following a VC timeout, Pasadena threw the ensuing inbounds play right to Sanchez, who nailed her second 3-pointer in three seconds to close the gap to 71-68 with 20.9 on the clock. The Pirates fouled on the next two defensive possessions, and PCC hit their next four free throw attempts to maintain their margin, despite a pair of driving shots by Sanchez. Pasadena threw their final inbounds pass away with 4.2 seconds left, giving Ventura one final crack to tie the game, but their inbounds pass was knocked away, cementing the 75-72 margin.
Sanchez's 34 points ties for seventh on the all-time list of single-game point totals for an individual. Hernandez scored 15 points and Vega netted 11 in the loss. Sloboh pulled in a game-high 15 rebounds while Brooke Dixon had 13 boards and four assists.
The Pirates will host the VC-Optimist Club Holiday Tournament on Dec. 28-30, opening with Southwestern College on Saturday Dec. 28 at 7:00 pm.