Pack Postseason Trail Ends at Ventura
(generated by AI... mostly)
The postseason run came to a close Saturday night as East Los Angeles College men's basketball battled for a half before falling to Ventura College, 91-73, in the second round of the 3C2A SoCal Regional playoffs.
The Huskies (19-10) matched Ventura punch-for-punch in the opening 20 minutes. ELAC shot confidently and defended with discipline, forcing the Pirates into contested looks and taking a 38-38 tie into the locker room.
But Ventura (25-4) ultimately found another gear in the second half.
A 53-point surge after halftime — fueled by efficient shooting and steady trips to the free-throw line (22-for-25) — allowed the hosts to pull away. The Pirates shot 46.9 percent from the field overall and controlled the glass 40-29, creating extra possessions that ultimately widened the gap. And while East LA held Ventura under their season average from behind the arc, it was the three-ball that started Ventura's decisive run midway through the second half. ELAC's 53-51 lead with 13:07 left turned into a 72-57 deficit with 6:08 left, with the Pack's offense also stagnated over that stretch: East would go over seven minutes without a field goal.
Sophomore PG Jayden Barnes led ELAC with 15 points and six assists, attacking the paint and setting the tone early. Sophomore G Landon Winston added nine points on 3-of-6 shooting, while fellow soph G Isaiah Hill provided a spark off the bench with nine points and four rebounds. Freshman PF Adrionne Marcus chipped in nine points and four steals in an active two-way effort.
ELAC shot 45.6 percent from the field and knocked down six three-pointers, but 15 turnovers and a 60 percent night at the free-throw line limited the Huskies' ability to keep pace during Ventura's decisive second-half run.
HUSKY BITS
- Ventura's Kam'ron Cigar led all scorers with 33 points on 10-14 shooting (10-10 Fts)
- ELAC was on 15-25 from the charity stripe, while the Pirates were 22-25.
- The Pack were up one on the rebounding battle at half (17-16), but ultimately lost the edge on the glass 40-29. This includes a 9-1 deficit on the offensive glass in the second half.
UP NEXT:
Unfortunately, it's the offseason. Head coach John Mosley's staff will hit the trails to add talent to a promising base of PG Darrell Morris, F Adrionne Marcus and G/F Imani Herring.