Ventura Won’t Get With the Program Next Season Either

The Ventura College men’s basketball program, disbanded for one season in the wake of a two-year probation imposed by the Western State Conference, will remain dormant for at least another year.

“We will not have a team next year,” said Steve Tobias, dean of intercollegiate athletics. “I’m not free at this point to discuss the reasons. There are a whole lot of issues related to the program involved.”

Tobias declined further comment.

Dick James, Ventura’s athletic coordinator, referred questions to Ventura President Larry Calderon, was unavailable Wednesday.

Ventura’s program has been in disarray since last March when former Coach Virgil Watson was dismissed.

In October, the team was placed on probation and banned from postseason competition. Sanctions were imposed by the WSC after Ventura, a perennial power and state champion in 1995 and ‘96, was found to have violated numerous state rules, including providing players with money, free or reduced-rate meals and access to campus facilities and vehicles.

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From top to bottom, the Southern California regional men’s basketball playoffs have a Western State Conference flavor.

The WSC, arguably the most powerful conference in the state, has seven entries--including top-seeded Bakersfield (27-3), the No. 1-ranked team in the state.

Moorpark (13-13), which finished second in the WSC North Division, is seeded last among 32 teams and plays a first-round game Saturday night at Bakersfield.

“Our conference, by power rating, is the toughest,” Glendale Coach Brian Beauchemin said.

Glendale (16-13), which plays host to Mt. San Antonio on Friday night, might be the WSC’s biggest surprise this season. The Vaqueros upset Valley twice and edged the Monarchs and powerful Santa Monica for second place in the WSC South.

Valley (22-9), which plays host to Irvine Valley on Friday night, faltered down the stretch, largely because of injuries. But the Monarchs are healthy again.

Sophomore post Leon Brisport, out two weeks because of a sore knee, has returned. So has wing Gianandrea Marcaccini, who missed two weeks because of a back injury. Guards Pierre Elize (sprained thumb) and Tyree Williams (sprained ankles) are 100%.

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Valley’s women’s team, conversely, is hurting entering a first-round game Friday against visiting Antelope Valley.

Sophomore forward Maricela Rodriguez, the Monarchs’ leading rebounder and second-leading scorer, is questionable because of stomach flu and a sprained ankle. Rodriguez averages 11.7 points and 9.8 rebounds.

Forward Meresaini Malaki, who averages 6.3 rebounds, also is questionable because of a shoulder injury.

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Pepperdine’s confounding 5-9-1 start in baseball takes on an even more depressing hue when matched against Cal State Northridge’s 11-9 mark.

Wasn’t a newly muscled Pepperdine supposed to burst out of the chute strong and confident in Coach Frank Sanchez’s second season?

Wasn’t Northridge supposed to struggle after hurriedly patching together a roster a few weeks before school started in the fall?

The teams meet this weekend for a three-game series.

The Waves recruited third baseman G.J. Raymundo, catcher Dane Sardinha and first baseman Jared Pitney, all touted hitters, but the team is batting an anemic .241 with only 13 home runs.

Northridge, with only 12 position players, is batting .311 with 28 home runs, production that is even more impressive considering four of the Matadors’ losses are against teams ranked in Collegiate Baseball’s top 10--Arizona, Arizona State and South Alabama.

“Without pointing fingers at any one area, we haven’t been able to put our hitting and pitching together,” Sanchez said.

Staff writers Steve Henson and Vince Kowalick contributed to this notes column.