Glendale Upsets Ventura

Brian Beauchemin was somewhat apprehensive about his team’s basketball game against Ventura College on Saturday night.

With Ventura coming off a loss to Santa Monica on Wednesday, the Glendale coach was concerned that the Pirates might come out with a vengeance.

No worries for Beauchemin, though. It was his Vaqueros who came out with a vengeance and handed Ventura an 87-80 Western State Conference loss at Ventura College.

Gary Fowler scored a game-high 22 points and the Vaqueros converted 26 of 35 free throws to give Ventura, the fifth-ranked team in the state, its first home loss of the season. The Pirates are 21-5 overall and 6-2 in conference play. Glendale pulled even with Ventura in conference play and improved to 15-8 overall.

“I was somewhat worried that they would come out strong and get it going against us,” Beauchemin said. “That’s always something you have to think about after the game they had the other night.”

Glendale took a 10-point lead midway through the first half before 3 consecutive baskets by Kevin Tate brought the Pirates back into the game.

Fowler scored 11 first-half points and converted 7 of 8 free throws to help Glendale take a 48-44 halftime lead. The Vaqueros made 15 of 18 free throws in the half.

Glendale took its biggest lead, 68-56, on a dunk by Jimmy Fowler and the Vaqueros never let the Pirates get any closer than 4 points down the stretch.

Said Beauchemin:”We contained them tonight and took away their strength on the outside shot. Fortunately, they were off on their three-pointers.”

Ventura managed to make only 3 from 3-point range and the Pirates made 42% from the floor.

Ventura Coach Phil Mathews was upset at the officiating as well as at his team’s performance.

“We’re a power club that drives the lane all the time,” Mathews said. “We only shoot 16 free throws and they shoot from the line all night long. We are not playing well and they deserved the win. The way they were going tonight you would have thought they were in the Final Four.”

Alex Berry and Bruce Heicke added 17 and 16 points for the Vaqueros. Leo Parker paced Ventura with 16 points and Paul Keenan added 15.