State JC Basketball Tournament : Ventura and Saddleback Reach Championship Game

Maurice Pullum scored 29 points to help lead Ventura College to a 111-75 victory over top-ranked San Joaquin Delta of Stockton Friday night in a State community college men’s basketball semifinal game at Loyola Marymount.

Pullum, a sophomore forward, made 9 of 11 shots, including 8 of 9 from three-point range. He scored 20 points in the first half, when the Pirates (30-4) moved out to a 49-41 lead.

Cedric Cepallos scored 23 points, and Leland Wigginton had 18 for Ventura, which takes has a 13-game winning streak going into tonight’s 8 p.m. final against Saddleback.

Saddleback 55, Rancho Santiago 52--Forward Vincent Smalls scored all of his 11 points in the second half to lead Saddleback to a 55-52 victory over Rancho Santiago of Santa Ana in the other semifinal game. The Gauchos (27-7) had lost to the Dons (29-5) in three previous meetings. Saddleback will be making its first appearance in a State championship game since 1979.