Ventura Rewrites Ending, 56-47

Ventura High was clinging to a three-point lead over Santa Barbara with 3 1/2 minutes gone in the fourth quarter of a Channel League boys’ basketball game Wednesday night and the Cougars appeared to be on the verge of imploding on themselves for the umpteenth time this season.

But a steal that led to a layup by senior Jeff Staniland with 4:11 left and two free throws by senior Gary Peterson with 3:46 remaining sent the Cougars on their way to a 56-47 victory at Ventura.

The Cougars (14-9, 4-2 in league play) won their fourth consecutive game and pulled to within one-half game of first-place Santa Barbara (21-3, 4-1) by snapping the Dons’ 14-game winning streak.

“We’ve been waiting for this game since the last time we played them at their place,” Staniland said of a 44-37 loss on Jan. 15. “We had a chance to beat them, but we didn’t hit our free throws in the fourth quarter. We’ve lost a lot of games this season in the fourth quarter.”

Ventura hit eight of nine free throws in the final quarter this time and 19 of 23 in the game to overcome 15-for-41 shooting.

Staniland, averaging 25.9 points, scored 22 points. He made five of eight shots, two of two from three-point range and 10 of 10 free throws.

Tyler Ebell, a 5-foot-7 sophomore, scored nine points on three three-point shots to help loosen up the Santa Barbara defense, and junior Mike Derse scored all 10 of his points in the second and third quarters after missing all five of his shots in the first quarter.

“I’m very proud of the kids,” Coach Dan Larson of Ventura said. “They’ve become a pretty good team in the last couple of weeks. . . . Jeff [Staniland] has been outstanding the whole season, but the other guys have begun to play up to their potential and that’s been the key for us.”

Tony Freeman, a lightning-quick 6-4 senior forward, scored 16 points for Santa Barbara.