No Sweat: Ventura Wins by 58 Points

It was a yawner, but not much else.

Certainly not a game.

The Ventura College women’s basketball team dismantled Feather River, 103-45, Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the State championships at San Jose City College to inch closer to the title.

The Pirates (33-0), top-ranked in the state, play Sacramento (23-11) in a semifinal game at 2:30 p.m. today at San Jose State. Sacramento advanced with an 83-79 victory over Chaffey.

It took Ventura’s players less time to take control of the game than it did for them to wipe the perspiration from their foreheads in the warm gym.

“We wanted to come out with high intensity, and our offense would follow our defense,” said Ventura guard K.K. Johns.

It was the eighth time this season the Pirates scored at least 100 points in a game.

Ventura’s Brianna Kanongata’a led all scorers with 18 points and teammate Tori Anderson added 16. Three other Pirates scored 14.

The Pirates held Feather River scoreless for more than eight minutes midway through the second half.

The Pirates capitalized on several Feather River turnovers to take an 18-6 lead with 11 minutes 9 seconds remaining in the half.

They increased it to 44-19 with 2:33 before intermission on a pair of free throws by K.K. Johns before settling for a 47-24 halftime advantage.

“We missed some easy shots around the basket, but our defense held us together,” said Ventura Coach Ned Mircetic.