Ventura College Women’s Basketball (18-6,7-0) came out hard and fast early on with dominating post presence from Center Destinee LaFountain defeating Allan Hancock College (8-13,2-5) 84-62.
Even with Head Coach Ned Mircetic out with an illness and assistant coach Robin Hester manning the helm, VC never skipped a beat, opening the game with a quick 7-0 run. Leading the charge with last week’s ‘VC athlete of the week’ Rebecca Griffin, a fast stand-up jumper started the run.
Griffin struggled in the first half but blew out the competition in the second half scoring 14 of her 21 points including four assists.
“After the first half we had to get them even harder and we had to shut them down,” said Griffin.
Hancock got off to an absolutely dreadful start, committing two travelling turnovers on their first two possessions. VC’s interior defense was much too strong a presence for Hancock to try and work around.
VC opened with man defense and had clever trap plays cutting off passing lanes and keeping the middle clear thanks to forwards Lafountain and Ariel Hale.
Hancock came back, tying it up at 9 apiece, which looked good from there; even going up 11-9 off a step-back jumper from Camille Zumbro.
VC struck back when Ja’Lisa Gatlin scored her first of 10 points on a three that put VC up 12-11 with 13:51 remaining.
The Pirates never looked back from their opening up on a 10-0 run.
Hancock kept committing offensive fouls against VC, although they kept up by 11 keeping their offense sluggish and never able to get anything really off the ground.
VC’s greats, LaFountain and Hale, both had seven rebounds each. VC’s 47 rebounds in total kept Hancock to a minimum on points-in-the-paint.
Lafountain was short with comments on her presence and what it takes to keep a true centers’ presence.
“When you have them down, keep them down,” said LaFountain, who had 20 points and nine rebounds.
With a 40-28 lead at the half, VC again was on their way to another victory, sitting comfortably atop the WSC North at 18-6 and 7-0 in WSC North play.
VC dominated the second half, getting almost every offensive rebound that they could, and those only coming from the few missed shots they had and shooting 42% from the field in the second half.
Worry struck five minutes in, with 15:37 left to play, Griffin went down hard on a drive to the hoop, hitting the basket.
Lying there, her teammates helped her up to a standing ovation hitting the free throw and putting her team up by 20.
Assistant coach Robin Hester, who filled in for head coach Ned Mircetic, was ecstatic about his team’s performance against a disjointed Hancock team.
“We came out with good intensity and we got up early,” said Hester. “Hancock’s pretty scrappy and every time they would hit a shot to make it close, we’d respond with another big shot. It was a team effort and we played well.”
