Tournament MVP Bo Dolinsek turned in another double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds and All-Tournament selections Kam'Ron Cigar and Kevin Hymes tallied 18 and 10 points, respectively, as the VC men's basketball team captured the Irvine Valley Classic championship 73-68 over the hosts Friday evening. Jeremiah Wilson recorded a game-high 21 points in the victory over the Lasers.
The games was tied at 6, 8, 10 and 12 before IVC began to open a small advantage over Ventura. The Pirate deficit was 20-12 with 12:41 remaining in the first half, and Elijah Brown's lay-up a minute later pulled VC to within 21-15. The Lasers led 41-30 with 2:49 on the clock before K. Cigar sandwiched a pair of jumpers around a bucket by Wilson, and Isaiah Dudley made a lay-up at the buzzer to pull the Pirates to within 42-38 at halftime.
After Irvine scored to open the final period, Dolinsek's short jumper continued the VC run. Wilson notched a three and K. Cigar made one of two free throws to tie the game at 44. Hymes and K. Cigar then scored back-to-back lay-ups, Hymes assisted a dunk by Wilson and K. Cigar made a lay-up to complete the 22-3 run over halftime for a 52-44 Pirate lead with 14:48 left to play.
Irvine Valley came back to take a 55-54 advantage two minutes later, but Hymes immediately answered with a deuce, Wilson made two free throws, and Dudley completed a lay-up from a Cyrus Smith dime for the Pirates to opened up a five-point margin, 60-55, with 10:45 on the clock. The Lasers tied the game at 60, but VC never again yielded the lead in taking the tourney crown, 75-68.
The Pirates shot 51 percent from the floor (28-55) and were an efficient 4-7 from three. Defensively, VC held Irvine to 44 percent shooting from the floor and 27 percent from beyond the arc.
Ventura next will host Los Angeles Southwest College on Wednesday Nov. 13 at 6:00 pm.