Visiting Ventura Overcomes 16-point Deficit, Edges Riverside, 88-84, in Overtime

RIVERSIDE --Watching a lead disappear late in regulation after building a 16-point advantage late in the first half, the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers men's basketball team dropped an 88-84 nonconference home decision, in overtime, to the visiting Ventura College (VC) Pirates Wednesday evening (Dec. 30) at legendary Arthur N. Wheelock Gymnasium on the RCC campus.

Riverside (8-8 overall) built a 38-22 lead with 1:22 left in the first half before Ventura (10-6 overall) roared back to take its first lead at 57-56 with 9:11 left in regulation. Down the stretch, RCC led, 70-65, with 1:17 remaining in regulation, but couldn't keep the Pirates at bay.

A three-pointer by sophomore guard Jalon Wilson (Los Angeles / Palisades HS) narrowed the gap to 70-68 with 55 seconds left. With 25 seconds to go, sophomore guard Elijah Brown (Newark, NJ / Irvington HS) tied the game at 70 with a pair of free throws.

In the extra session, Ventura erased an 80-79 RCC lead when freshman forward Vida Faniel (Palmdale / William Knight HS) made a layin with 1:02 left for an 81-80 VC lead. Faniel then added a pair of free throws with 40 seconds left for an 83-80 lead. Another charity toss by Faniel gave the Pirates an 84-81 with 32 ticks left.

Six Tigers scored in double figures, led by RCC sophomore forward Sage Woodruff (Los Angeles / Fairfax HS '14), who had 16 points. RCC freshman guard Tramel Wilson (Hawthorne / Washington Prep. '15) added 15 points for the Tigers.

Ventura had four Pirates score in double digits, led by Brown with a game-high 24 points, including 16 of 17 from the free throw line. Sophomore guard Jamal Lewis (Brooklyn, NY / Elkins HS) added 19 points -- all in the second half. Faniel finished with 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds, while Wilson finished with 11 points.

Both teams will be idle for a week until Wednesday, Jan. 6. Riverside will host the Santa Ana College Dons to open Orange Empire Conference play with a 5 p.m. tipoff. Ventura will host the Cuesta College Cougars in a 7 p.m. tipoff to open Western State Conference - North Division action.

Current (third-year) RCC head men's basketball coach Phil Mathews spent ten formative seasons (1985-1995) at VC as its head coach where he won state championships in 1986-87 and 1994-95.

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