Ventura Wears Down Oxnard for 8th Win in Row, 79-70

Give the Oxnard College men’s basketball team credit.

The undermanned Condors turned in a hustling performance Wednesday night against powerful Ventura that drew praise and respect from virtually all in attendance at Santa Clara High.

In the end, however, it takes more than guts and hard work to come out on top after 40 minutes against Ventura’s full-court press.

The Condors learned that lesson the exhausting way as the Pirates scored a 79-70 Western State Conference North Division victory, the team’s eighth win in a row.

By the time the final buzzer sounded, Oxnard was down to six active players. Meanwhile, Ventura’s healthy supply of reserves seemed ready for the second half of a doubleheader.

“I thought both teams played hard,” Ventura Coach Philip Mathews said after the Pirates improved to 23-4, 2-0 in North Division play. “But in the end our overall strength and depth was too much for them.”

With sophomore wing Reggie Phillips leading the charge, Ventura overcame a seven-point deficit early in the second half with a relentless pressure game on defense.

The 6-foot Phillips, who played under the basket as if he were 6-6, also paced the Pirates offensively. He scored 17 points and added eight rebounds and three blocked shots.

Phillips was supported by Stephane Brown (15 points, five assists), a freshman guard from Channel Islands High, and Derrick Pugh (nine points, eight rebounds).

Point guard Chico Langston directed the offense skillfully and finished with seven assists.

Oxnard (14-10, 2-1), which has only seven players, stayed within striking distance throughout the second half and trailed, 76-70, with one minute to play after a three-point shot by point guard Shawn Talley.

Had Condor center Art Wallace not fouled out with 6 minutes 28 seconds to play, the final score might have been even closer.

“That hurt us a lot,” said Condor forward Tony Ziuraitis, who did all he could to fill the void and finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. “(Wallace) is a big gun on the boards and a go-to guy on offense.

“But the (referees) took us out of the game.”

Oxnard Coach Remy McCarthy wouldn’t go that far, but the coach did express “amazement” over the fact that Oxnard attempted just seven free throws to Ventura’s 25.

“I still can’t believe we shot seven free throws and they shot 25,” McCarthy said. “That is beyond belief. I guess that proves their defense really is that good.”

Wallace, a 6-10 freshman who dominated at times in the paint, totaled 16 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots before departing.