Impressive Start Propels Moorpark Into Final

The game began much the same way the season has for the Moorpark College men’s basketball team.

With the Raiders on a roll.

Behind a strong start, Moorpark put away Antelope Valley early en route to a 93-70 victory in the semifinals of the Ventura College/Kiwanis tournament Saturday night at Ventura.

The Raiders (6-0) will play in the championship game for the third consecutive year against Ventura at 6 tonight. Antelope Valley (5-2) will play Rio Hondo in the third-place game at 4 p.m..

Moorpark made 11 of 17 shots in the first nine minutes. During the same span, Antelope Valley shot three of 15, missing its first nine shots.

The Raiders took advantage for a 26-9 advantage. After that, Moorpark took it inside with Anthony McCurtis and Cameron Henderson.

Henderson, a freshman forward from El Camino Real High, finished with 19 points and nine rebounds. Marques Pena also scored 19 for the Raiders.

McCurtis scored 18 points, all but two coming on strong moves near the basket. He pulled down 11 rebounds.

“I just wanted to come out and play hard,” McCurtis said. “If we play hard, we can beat just about anybody.”

The Raiders beat Antelope Valley inside and outside. Guard Ben Tryk came off the bench to score 16 points, including four three-point baskets. Moorpark shot six of 19 from three-point range.

“This was a big game,” said Pena, the Raiders’ point guard. He had 10 assists.

“I was a little surprised at the way we were able to come out against them,” Pena said. “I think our whole team was, but we were able to hold strong.

“We’ve got pretty good balance. Now we’ve just got to see if we can keep it going.”

The Marauders could not get anything going after a horrendous start, which the Raiders contributed to with steals on three of Antelope Valley’s first four possessions.

Antelope Valley, which committed 14 turnovers in the first half and 24 in the game, trailed, 38-11, after Moorpark scored 10 unanswered points in a three-minute stretch midway through the first half.

The Raiders held a 52-31 halftime lead after Antelope Valley made just 10 of 34 shots. Moorpark made 22 of 24 shots in the half.

“We’re just working real hard every game,” McCurtis said. “Everybody’s playing aggressively and executing real well. It’s a good start for us, a lot better than I thought.”

Things got better for Antelope Valley at the start of the second half, when the Marauders scored six consecutive points to cut their deficit to 52-37.

Moorpark responded with a six-point run, and led comfortably thereafter. The closest the Marauders came in the second half was 63-51 after a basket by John Burrell with 11:20 to play.

Three Antelope Valley players scored in double figures--Tomay Holdip with 21, Burrell with 13 and Michael Hamelin with 11.

Antelope Valley shot 22 of 71.

Ventura 89, Rio Hondo 73--Eddie Miller scored 19 points and Chris Clayton added 18 as the Pirates routed the Roadrunners.

The victory moved Ventura into the tournament final game for the seventh consecutive year. The Pirates have won the event six years in a row and seven times in the previous nine years.

Ventura (3-3), the two-time defending state junior-college champion, enters the final with a three-game winning streak after opening the season with three losses. The Pirates returned just two players from last year’s team.

Mt. San Antonio 83, College of the Sequoias 79--Jamar Bailey scored 17 of his 25 points in the second half to help the Mounties (5-3) hang on in the consolation semifinals.

The score was tied 11 times, the last one broken by Micah Langston’s three-point basket to give Mt. SAC a 78-75 lead.

With Sequoias trailing, 81-79, Mike Roberts missed two free throws with four seconds left.

Harbor 81, Allan Hancock 60--Tarron Williams scored 22 points, including 15 in the second half, to help the Seahawks (4-3) turn back the Bulldogs (1-3) in the consolation semifinals.