Tonight's Ventura College women's basketball game against visiting MiraCosta College at the VC Athletic Event Center has been postponed.

MiraCosta, which would have had to drive from their location 35 miles north of San Diego, decided against braving the rainy conditions.

"They cited the potential weather and traffic concerns as their primary concern," said Ventura athletic director Will Cowen in a release.

Ventura was offered a forfeit, but the Pirates are attempting to reschedule the game.

Oahu is known as Hawaii's "Gathering place."

Fittingly, it is where some of the biggest names in county community college football will be gathering next fall to play for the University of Hawaii.

Ventura College star linebacker Brenden Daley committed to the Warriors Sunday while on an official visit to the Honolulu school.

"I get out here in May," said Daley. "I'm going to be representing for the Mainlanders... Oh man, I'm excited to win over this crowd."

The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Moorpark High product, who had 100 tackles, 15.5 tackles for a loss and seven sacks for the Pirates as a sophomore, joins Moorpark College's record-breaking receiver Chris Gant, who committed to Hawaii earlier this month.

Daley's VC teammate, defensive end Jon Lattimore, who had 15.5 tackles for a loss and nine sacks as a sophomore, is also considering Hawaii.

"Hopefully, Latt will come here, too," said Daley.

Daley said he is poised to fill a void at middle linebacker for the Warriors.

"I'm coming into a perfect situation," said Daley.

The hyper-kinetic linebacker thereby declared his recruiting closed. He was being pursued by a list of schools that included Washington and Cincinnati.

"This is it," said Daley. "I'm happy here. I gave them my word and I'm going to stand by it. I'm ready to rock."

Ventura College sophomore defensive lineman Taylor Ramsey signed with Southeast Missouri State Sunday.

The Moorpark High product had eight tackles for losses and two-and-a-half sacks for the Pirates as a sophomore.

The Redhawks won the 2010 Ohio Valley championship and reached the second round of the NCAA Division I FCS tournament.

With potential tournament semifinals against the host school, the Moorpark College men's and women's basketball teams find themselves in similar positions this week.

"We're the spoilers," said Moorpark women's head coach Lindsay Goldblatt.

The Moorpark men (5-5) will face host Glendale (8-3) tonight in the semifinals of the Vaquero Classic.

McCarthy expects Glendale to compete for the Western State Conference's South Division.

"They'll be right in there with Santa Monica and Citrus to win that league," said Moorpark men's head coach Remy McCarthy, "you mark my words."

If the Raider women (7-2) were able to get past Cypress Thursday's quarterfinals, they looked set to face No. 11 Antelope Valley (6-4) for the second time in a week tonight in the semifinals of the AVC Holiday tournament.

Through 10 games, the Moorpark College men's basketball team's dynamic freshman backcourt duo of Jamal McClerkin and Coltrane Powdrill have combined to average nearly 40 points, 11 rebounds and six steals.

"Those two have put up some pretty impressive numbers," said coach Remy McCarthy. "I'd hate to think where we'd be without them."

But the sentiment holds for another pair of freshmen Raiders who have combined to score just 62 points.

Greg Parker, a 5-foot-8 guard from Granada Hills High, and Olatokunbo "Toki" Oshodi, a 6-3 forward from Valencia High, haven't needed long to absorb the type of defensive commitment McCarthy asks from his players.

"They just comes in and energize us," said McCarthy. "They gets their hands on balls. They're on the floor. They're taking charges. They're closing the gaps defensively."

A glance at the Southern California poll is all it takes to get excited about the on-coming WSC North women's basketball race, which will feature No. 9 Santa Barbara City, No. 12 Moorpark, No. 13 Ventura and No. 15 Los Angeles Pierce when it tips off next month.

But before that, Ventura (6-4) will visit No. 1 Pasadena City (7-1) Sunday. The Lancers were the only team to beat the Pirates during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons.

Click the jump for the full polls.

As the men's basketball representative to the CCCAA management council, Moorpark College athletic director Howard Davis is helping to organize a joint cancer awareness effort by the men's and women's basketball coaches' associations.

The goal is to present a check for $50,000 to the American Cancer Society during the state Final Four at Ventura College in March.

Forty schools, including all seven in the WSC North, have already pledged to join the effort, which is being mirrored on the "Coaches vs. Cancer" and "Pink Zone" efforts on the NCAA level.

Some programs will pledge their gate, others will organize an anti-cancer themed event similar to those hosted recently by the Ventura College women's basketball and women's soccer and Moorpark College women's volleyball teams.

Ventura College placekicker David Brown's signing with Youngstown State Wednesday figures to be just the beginning of a busy mid-year signing period for the Ventura College football team, according to head coach Steve Mooshagian.

Arizona has already been to Ventura twice to check out punter Kyle Dugandzic, who landed 21 of his 57 punts this fall inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

"There's a lot of interest there," said Mooshagian.

Utah State, Cal Poly and Southern Utah have also shown interest in the Agoura High product.

Defensive tackle Taylor Ramsey has visited Southeast Missouri, a Division I-FCS playoff team, and has potential trips to South Dakota State and Sacramento State lined up.

Receiver Cary Jackson has signed with Division II Grand View University and cornerback Jeff Bush visited Alcorn State earlier this week and could visit Arkansas-Pine Bluff and the University of San Diego soon.

Running back Mike Davis and lineman Ramon Diaz have had a bunch of interest from schools like Cal Poly, Arkansas State and Eastern Kentucky.

Perhaps the Pirates' biggest prizes, quarterback Antavius Sims, linebacker Brenden Daley and defensive end John Lattimore will transfer after the spring semester.

Washington has invited Sims and Daley to watch them practice in San Diego ahead of the Holiday Bowl. Daley and Lattimore have lined up visits to Hawaii, which recently landed Moorpark star receiver Chris Gant.

"I'm excited to head over there and see what it's all about," said Daley, who will spend this weekend on Oahu.

Sims recently took a break from the VC men's basketball team to focus on the recruiting process.

Defensive lineman Clint Abraham and safety Brian Baldwin are two key Moorpark players who are receiving interest to transfer at the break.

Live in-game updates can be found here.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

2010 Wells Fargo Tournament hosted by Citrus College

Saturday's schedule
Consolation semifinals
No. 14 LA Trade Tech 98, Fullerton 95
No. 8 Riverside 66, No. 1 Mt. SAC 58
Championship semifinals
No. 2 Citrus 91, No. 13 San Bernardino Valley 85
No. 3 Antelope Valley vs No. 6 Ventura, 7 p.m.

2010 Santa Barbara City Classic

Saturday's scores
Consolation final: Barstow 76, Hancock 70
Third-place game: West L.A. vs. L.A. Valley, 5 p.m.
Final: Oxnard 91, Cypress 84
(Oxnard wins sixth straight game and back-to-back tournaments after starting the season 0-4. Scooter Holmes tournament MVP and Marcus Falley all-tournament.)

Los Angeles Southwest Intensity Classic

Saturday's score
Moorpark 69, East Los Angeles 62

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

2010 Moorpark College Classic

Saturday's scores
Consolation semifinals
Laney 70, Imperial Valley 66 (OT)
Citrus 60, Santa Ana 48
Championship semifinals
No. 11 Santa Barbara City 76, No. 14 Los Angeles Valley 59
No. 15 Moorpark 57, No. 7 Antelope Valley 47

Chris Gant had never been to Hawaii.

Having taken a recruiting trip to Oahu last weekend, he decided he could get used to it.

"They were really welcoming," said Gant. "I felt like I could have a home away from home there."

Moorpark College's star receiver verbally committed to play for the University of Hawaii Friday, less than three weeks after completing his Raiders' career with nearly every single-game, single-season and career receiving record in school history.

"It's very exciting," said Gant. "They put up a lot of points. I like the offense. The quarterback (Bryant Moniz) seemed like a calm, collected guy."

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Friday that Gant will compete for a role in the slot, as Hawaii is losing starters Greg Salas and Kealoha Pilares after the Dec. 24 Hawaii Bowl.

Although Gant said the decision was about chemistry.

"They're a really close team," said Gant. "For me to go outside of California, to go far from home, it would have to be like that."

With 81 receptions for 1,134 yards and 17 touchdowns, Gant led Southern California in receptions, receiving yardage and touchdowns per game.

He broke Isaiah Mustafa's 16-year-old single-season school records for receptions (66) and receiving yardage (1,086). His career numbers, 145 catches for 1,945 yards and 33 scores, eclipsed Dan Russell's 26-year-old school records midway though this
season.

His 17-catch, 238-yard performance in the 24-21 win at Chaffey Oct. 30 extended his own school record for receptions in a game and was 12 yards short of Curtis Marsh's 250-yard performance against Ventura in 1991.

Although he will attend Moorpark in the spring, he completed the final official team function with the season-ending banquet earlier this month.

"I'm going to miss it," said Gant of Moorpark. "It was a big transition to go from 0-10 to a good season like this. The last two games weren't my best games, but it was nice to win a bowl game."

Moorpark finished 7-4 with a 21-14 win at Chaffey in the Western State Bowl.

The No. 15-ranked Moorpark College women's basketball team reached the semifinals of its Moorpark College Classic with a 74-46 bruising of Santa Ana Friday at Raider Pavilion.

The Raiders (6-1) face No. 7 Antelope Valley Saturday at 6 p.m. for a place in Sunday's final.

2010 Moorpark College Classic

Friday's quarterfinal
No. 11 Santa Barbara City 74, Imperial Valley 58
No. 14 Los Angeles Valley 84, No. 5-North Laney 61
No. 7 Antelope Valley 61, Citrus 57
No. 15 Moorpark 74, Santa Ana 46

Saturday's schedule
Consolation semifinals
Imperial Valley vs. Laney, 12 p.m.
Citrus vs. Santa Ana, 2 p.m.
Championship semifinals
No. 11 Santa Barbara City vs. No. 14 Los Angeles Valley, 4 p.m.
No. 7 Antelope Valley at No. 15 Moorpark, 6 p.m.

The Oxnard College men's basketball team is beginning to take flight.

Friday night's 103-71 win over Los Angeles Valley in the semifinals of the Santa Barbara City Classic means the Condors have won five straight and played for its second straight tournament championship Saturday night at 7 p.m.

"We got a little taste of winning and the guys have enjoyed that," said Oxnard coach Jason Cunningham.

Oxnard (5-4) had lost its first four games of the season.

"We'd rather be on this side of the coin," said Cunningham.

Marcus Falley came off the bench to score a team-high 22 points, Scooter Holmes had 17 points and six rebounds, Codye Hatcher had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Gary Johnson and Malcolm Pope added 11 and 10 points, respectively, as the Condors shot 59.4 percent as a team.

After suffering a tore meniscus last month, point guard Steven Powell has completed his comeback this weekend, playing 11 minutes Thursday and eight minutes Friday.

"He's getting better," said Cunningham.

Oxnard defeated No. 10 Barstow (8-2), which beat the Condors in last year's tournament final, 86-76 Thursday and was set to face Cypress in Saturday's final.

"We look at it like a really big game," said Cunningham. "We have to come in the game and respect them because they are a disciplined team that runs their stuff well."

Cunningham got his coaching start as an assistant under Paul Bottiaux and played with assistant coach Chris St. Clair at Cal State Fullerton.

"It's always a big game for me to try to grow as a coach against people that gave me an opportunity to get into coaching," said Cunningham.

Cypress defeated West Los Angeles, coached by former Oxnard coach Ron McClurkin, in Saturday's semifinal, 83-75. Hancock also edged Santa Barbara City, 77-75, in an All-WSC North consolation semifinal.

2010 Santa Barbara City Classic

Thursday's quarterfinals
Cypress 81, Hancock 77
Los Angeles Valley 63, Victor Valley 59
West L.A. 70, Santa Barbara City 62
Oxnard 86, Barstow 76

Friday's Championship semifinals
Cypress 83, West Los Angeles 75
Oxnard 103, Los Angeles Valley 71
Friday's Consolation semifinals
Barstow 72, Victor Valley 70
Hancock 77, Santa Barbara City 75

Saturday's schedule
Consolation final: Barstow vs. Hancock, 3 p.m.
Third-place game: West L.a. vs. L.A. Valley, 5 p.m.
Final: Oxnard vs. Cypress, 7 p.m.

Try as he might, Will Cowen could not brush off the satisfaction of knocking off the state's top-ranked team late Friday night.

Asked about the significance of the 74-73 win Friday over No. 1 and previously unbeaten Mount San Antonio, the Ventura College men's basketball coach initially responded glibly.

"It means we get to play tomorrow night at 7," said Cowen.

But the coach couldn't keep playing down perhaps the biggest win in his three years at Ventura.

"It's a huge win," said Cowen. "You feel very fortunate to come out with a win against a team like Mount SAC. It's a huge confidence builder for us."

James Ennis, Mike Melonas and Corey Hall scored 15 points apiece, Austin Ramljak added 14 and Eric Mitchell had 10 points and nine assists as the No. 6-ranked Pirates (9-2) relied on a balanced effort to upend the Mounties (9-1) in the first round of the power-packed Wells Fargo Tournament at Citrus College in Glendora.

Mount SAC scored 13 of the first 17 points along its way to a 45-32 halftime lead.

"They came out like gangbusters against us," said Cowen, "but our guys trusted themselves the whole game."

But Hall and Ramljak splashed 3-pointers to open the second half and spur a 17-2 VC run that pulled the Pirates even, 47-47, with 16:13 to play.

It was still tied when Hall and Melonas spurred an 8-2 run to give the Pirates its biggest lead of the game, 68-62, with 4:49 left. But the Mounties tied the game twice in the final 90 seconds via guard Antonio Bigelow (game-high 26 points).

Hall produced the game-winning point on a free throw with 24 seconds to play, then defended the slender lead by tapping the ball out to midcourt in the final seconds.
Ventura turned the ball over just five times as it made its charge in the second half.

"It's the only way to play against Mount SAC," said Cowen. "They feed off the turnover."

Ventura advances to a semifinal date with No. 3 Antelope Valley (7-2) Saturday night at 7. The Marauders needed double overtime to survive No. 8 Riverside, 78-69.

On the other side of the bracket, No. 2 Citrus (10-0) beat Fullerton, 87-78, and No. 13 San Bernardino Valley beat No. 14 Los Angeles Trade-Tech, 86-79, in overtime.

Should Ventura and Citrus advance Saturday, the Pirates will face the No. 1, 2 and 3 teams in Southern California in the same weekend.

2010 Wells Fargo Tournament hosted by Citrus College

Friday's quarterfinals:
No. 2 Citrus 87, Fullerton 78
No. 13 San Bernardino Valley 86, No. 14 LA Trade Tech 79 (OT)
No. 3 Antelope Valley 78, No. 8 Riverside 69 2OT
No. 6 Ventura 74, No. 2 Mt. SAC 73

Saturday's schedule
Consolation semifinals
Fullerton vs LA Trade Tech, 1 p.m.
Riverside vs Mt. SAC, 3 p.m.
Championship semifinals
Citrus vs San Bernardino Valley, 5 p.m.
Antelope Valley vs Ventura, 7 p.m.