Vaughan Leads, Ventura Follows, 74-62

So much for dancing with who brung ya. Darien Roberts sat this one out, mostly.

But that didn’t prevent Ventura High from winning the battle of undefeated Channel League teams.

Despite only nine points from Roberts, their leading scorer, the Cougars had little trouble disposing of Hueneme, 74-62, Wednesday night at Ventura.

The victory moved Ventura (14-2, 6-0 in league) one game ahead of Hueneme (10-5, 5-1).

Roberts, a 6-foot-2 senior forward, was averaging 15.3 points a game and had scored 40 earlier this season against Thousand Oaks. Yet he was only one-for-12 shooting and did not make a basket after the opening minutes of the game.

“I don’t think I could have stole a basket tonight,” Roberts said. “I guess I’m in one of those midseason slumps.”

Teammate Curt Vaughan compensated. Vaughan, a 6-3 senior forward, scored a career-high 23 points to lead the Cougars, who needed a strong fourth quarter to put the Vikings away.

Led by center David Andrade (23 points) and forward Wendell Nunnery (22), Hueneme battled back from a 43-29 deficit to trail by only six points, 47-41, after three quarters.

“We play all our games hard, not just this one,” Nunnery said. “We just didn’t control the boards and they just put it to us.”

In the opening seconds of the fourth quarter, Ventura’s Dan McCashin made a basket and was awarded a foul shot.

McCashin missed the free throw, but Vaughan tipped in the rebound to complete a four-point play.

The Cougars scored another four points before Hueneme countered.

“Curt was due to step up,” Ventura Coach Dan Larson said of Vaughan.

“I think a lot of teams have been keying on (Roberts). He’s a streaky shooter. He’s had some good nights and he’s had some off nights.”

“This was a big game,” Vaughan said, simply. “For the Channel League.”

Ventura center Anthony McCurtis added 11 points, including a pair of breakaway one-handed dunks.