Hobbling Ventura Puts Hurt on Valley : College basketball: Injury-riddled Pirates make late free throws to secure 68-56 victory.

The walking wounded better get well quickly or the Ventura College basketball team may soon pay dearly.

With starting center Michael Tate out with an ankle injury and forward Steve Amar nursing a sore back, the Pirates struggled to beat Valley, 68-56, in a Western State Conference inter-divisional game Thursday night.

It was the 20th consecutive victory for the Pirates (20-1, 2-0 in conference play), the state’s top-ranked team. But it wasn’t easy against a determined Valley squad.

“We played through adversity and won, so I’m happy,” Ventura Coach Philip Mathews said. “Joey (Ramirez) did not play well and Brandon (Jessie) did not play well.”

Ramirez, the steady sophomore point guard, made only three of 17 shots but finished with 15 points thanks to seven free throws. Jessie, the team’s outstanding sophomore forward, had 16 points but scored only four, all on free throws, during the second half.

Ventura shot a miserable 29.8% (20 of 67) from the field, its worst performance of the season. Valley (7-10, 1-1) didn’t exactly set the nets on fire, either, hitting only 36% (22 of 61).

Although Jessie and Ramirez were not the offensive factors they usually are, guards D’Mitri Rideout (10 points and three steals), center Alfred Kennedy (10 points and eight rebounds) and guard Tracy Lundy (11 points) hit their shots to pick up the slack. Lundy replaced Amar early in the first half.

“We were concerned with Ramirez and Jessie but some of their other players beat us,” Valley Coach Doug Michelson said.

Ventura led at halftime, 35-29, but Valley pulled to within 57-54 with 1 minute 52 seconds to play. However, a technical foul called against Valley center Brian Jackson for hanging on the rim during an attempted offensive rebound seemed to take the wind out of the Monarchs.

Ramirez converted one of the two free throws after the technical, Rideout made two more from the line and Ramirez scored the final seven points of the game (five on free throws). After the technical foul, Valley scored only on a layup by Wayne Carlisle with 44 seconds remaining.

Freshman Craig Griffin scored 18 points for Valley, including 13 in the first half, and Carlisle added 17. Jackson had nine rebounds.