Bulldogs Fall to Ventura 80-70, Willkomm Scores 20 in Final Home Game

Matt Willkomm scored a team-high 20 points to lead a quartet of Bulldogs in double figures, but the Allan Hancock College men's basketball team dropped its final home game of the season 80-70 to Ventura College on Wednesday evening. The Bulldogs fell to 4-6 in Western State Conference play and 12-15 overall. The Pirates improved to 17-9 overall and 7-3 in league. Ventura is tied for second with Moorpark, half a game behind first place and idle Cuesta, which is 8-2 in WSC action.

Willkomm sank eight of his 13 shots from the floor. The Arroyo Grande High School graduate hit three of his six three-point shots. The sophomore made six of eight from the field and had 15 points in the first half to help the Bulldogs carry a 36-28 lead into  halftime. Hancock shot 56 percent in the first half by sinking 13 of its 23 shots in the first 20 minutes, while Ventura made 37 percent of its attempts.

Freshman guard Shane Carney hit five of 11, including half of his four three-point shots in the game. He sank five of his eight free throws to finish with 17 points. Malik Rhodes hit six of his 13 shots to finish with 15 points. Marcellus Garrick added 10 points, five rebounds and two assists. Garrick hit two of his three shots from three-point territory and made all four of his free throws.

Forward Tim Ford added six points, two blocks and a team-best eight rebounds for the Bulldogs.

Carney hit a jumper to give Hancock its biggest lead of the game 45-32 with 16:54 to go in the game. The Bulldogs still led 50-39 on a Rhodes layup with 13:31 to play when Ventura went on a 23-5 run over the next seven minutes to take control. Elijah Brown scored 17 of his 31 game-high 31 points in the second half. Brown hit 12 of 19 shots overall and had six rebounds and six assists.

Cordel Hankerson added 14 points and Trevor LaCount had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Pirates. The Pirates outscored Hancock 52-34 in the second half.  

Overall, Hancock made 25 of its 46 shots (54 percent) and hit seven of 18 from three-point range (39 percent). The Bulldogs sank just 13 of their 23 free throws (56 percent). Ventura shot 47 percent (31 for 66) and hit 79 percent of its free throws (15 for 19).

Hancock will play its final two games of the season on the road beginning Saturday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m. at L.A. Pierce. Hancock fell to the Brahmas 73-56 at home last month. L.A. Pierce upset first place Moorpark 81-78 on Wednesday.