Ventura College Basketball

For my money, there isn’t a better entertainment value in all of Ventura than going to see a Ventura College basketball game. For seven dollars, you can sit only a couple rows from the court and watch fast paced, high-​flying, typically high quality college basketball right here in Ventura.
When you think of community college basketball, you don’t usually think of high quality basketball but many players that men’s head coach Greg Winslow brings into the program are Division-​I caliber players that, for whatever reason (grades, eligibility, etc.) did not end up at a bigger school. Of course, the Ventura County Star reported this week that some of these guys might not have been eligible to play at VC when they did and there is an investigation ongoing regarding the basketball program, but for now, that won’t take away from the action on the court.
This year’s team looks like they are going to be exciting again despite losing Danny Tavaras, one of VC’s all-​time best players, and Anthony Pimble, a guy who could jump out of the gym and regularly dunked with amazing authority. On Friday night, in the season opening tournament, VC and Bakersfield College duked it out scoring a combined 255 points with VC coming out on top 129 – 126. They lost the championship game on Saturday afternoon, but they lost to the team that is currently ranked #1 in the state.
Games are typically played on Wednesdays and Saturdays and once league play rolls around in January, each game night is a doubleheader with the women’s team (who are actually a more successful team than the men having only lost five league games in the last 17 years) tipping off at 5:00 and then the men follow at 7:30. The Moorpark College game is usually a great game that inches close to being sold out because of how good both teams have been over the years and because both teams run a crazy fast, up and down style of offense.
And if you are still looking for a reason to go to a VC game, please consider the cheerleaders. I have never watched a group of cheerleaders that are more dangerous and scary than the VC cheer squad. You never know what is going to happen when they do a routine or lifts or throw a girl in the air. Their blatant disregard for safety is so entertaining. In fact, two seasons ago in the middle of a routine, two of the guys did a series of backflips and ended up colliding in mid-​air while upside down. I seriously thought at least one of them was going to be taken off in an ambulance but after getting a thorough going over by the basketball trainer and a lengthy delay, they both got up and walked it off. Thankfully they were OK, and I can now laugh about it whenever I go to a VC game and watch their cheerleaders.
2007 — 2008 Men’s Basketball Schedule (women’s times listed when game is a doubleheader):
Saturday, December 1 vs. Cerritos College — 7:00 PM
Tuesday, December 11 vs. West Hills College — 7:00 PM
Fri-​Sun, Dec 14 – 16 — Roy Gilmore Invitational Tournament — All Day
Thursday, January 3 vs. Fullerton College — 7:00 PM
Saturday, January 12 vs. Los Angeles Pierce — 5:00 and 7:30
Wednesday, January 23 vs. Santa Barbara City College — 5:00 and 7:30
Wednesday, January 30 vs. Hancock College — 5:00 and 7:30
Saturday, February 2 vs. Cuesta College — 5:00 and 7:30
Wednesday, February 13 vs. Moorpark College — 5:00 and 7:30
Wednesday, February 20 vs. Oxnard College — 5:00 and 7:30