Ventura College men’s basketball, known for its five state championships and six straight WSC Pacific Division titles, have started off their title defense season with a 7-3 record.
The Pirates return five players this year who were members on last year’s WSC championship team. Robert Wright, second year player, believes that the Pirates have enough talent to continue their title run.
“I feel real good about this team,” Wright said. “I have more confidence in this team because we are very talented and we get along together as a team unit. We have good depth and good size.”
This is head coach and Ventura College Athletic Director Greg Winslow’s ninth season leading the Pirates. Winslow believes that the team can improve from where they’re already at.
“This team is young,” Winslow said. “Our potential for improving is good.”
So far this season, starting guard Kevin Menner has led the Pirates in scoring, averaging a little over 22 points a game. Brandon Dixon, a second year forward, currently leads the Pirates in rebounds with an average of nine per game.
Winslow has taken notice of Menner’s play, giving both positive and negative feedback on his young star.
“Kevin is an excellent talent,” Winslow said. “One of the more talented players in recent history here. But he has to develop more trust in his teammates.”
Assistant coach Jon Wyers, in his first season with the team, looks for the Pirates to be a dominating force this year.
“We should be able to make it back to the final four,” Wyers said. “Anything less than that would be a real disappointment.”
Wyers praised Winslow for his tactics on helping the players learn how to win.
“He is a very good coach,” Wyers said. “He knows what he is doing and he is a great motivator of his players.”
Wright also thinks highly of Winslow, regarding him as one of the most influential figures so far in his playing career.
“He brings the best out of me,” Wright said. “I love the way he carries the tradition around here and how he keeps the academics an importance to us so that we as players can continue our education after junior college.”
The Pirates begin their WSC Division title defense in January, trying to become a team known for it’s number of championships it has to it’s name. Ventura’s last state championship came in 1996, but the team is focused on returning to glory.
“We all want to bring home that state championship because we deserve it,” Wright said. “We are just going to take it one game at a time.”
Ventura’s Tavaris Gilbert, 55, jumps to make a shot during the Dec. 1 game against Cerritos College at Ventura. Ventura won 78-67.
