Girls’ basketball: Ventura’s victory defies the odds

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The best win of Saturday night had to be sixth-seeded Ventura going into Brea Olinda and stuffing the third-seeded Ladycats in a defensive game, 47-43.

The Division I-AA quarterfinal result is only mildly surprising because the game was at Brea. Would not have been surprised at all if the game had been at Ventura and the Cougars had won. That’s how close the teams are. Ventura (27-2) really has it going on. I mean, how many times can you win when your leading scorer has eight points (which was the case with Laura Easterling and Maddie Fahan against Brea)?

But I can’t stress how impressive it is to win a playoff game at Brea (25-4). It’s not a normal. There is something about the tradition there, and everyone who’s played the eight-time state champion Ladycats has felt it at some time. Well, except maybe Ventura. Haven’t talked to anyone from there yet.

The biggest thing now for Ventura is that it gets to play second-seeded Millikan in Ventura. That’s a huge advantage. I don’t know if the Cougars will win -- it makes no logical sense to pick them -- but I’ve seen a few games between Ventura city teams and out-of-town teams, and let’s just say that there is a definite home-court advantage. Joe Vaughan didn’t win a million basketball games without getting a couple of calls.

Is there a better coach-of-the-year candidate than Ann Larson? What a great victory.

-- Martin Henderson