Oxnard’s aggressive, swarming, trapping defense was too much for the Santa Barbara High boys basketball team, as the Yellowjackets rolled to a 73-29 victory to claim sole possession of first place in the Channel League.
Oxnard is 3-0 in league and 12-0 overall. Santa Barbara falls to 2-1 and 5-8.
Santa Barbara kept it close in the first half.
“We played a really solid first 13 minutes, down 26-21 with 3 minutes left in the first half. They went on a 9-0 run to end the half,” said Santa Barbara coach Corey Adam.
Oxnard turned up the defensive intensity and held Santa Barbara to four points in the third quarter.
“We could not get anything going in the third quarter as we turned the ball over 10-plus times in the quarter,” said Adam.
Oxnard capitalized and opened up a 58-23 advantage.
Oxnard held Luke Zuffelato to a season-low nine points, and Carter Battle had eight points.
“I’m proud of the guys for competing, I thought there was some growth on their part in several areas of the game,” said Adam.
Oxnard had a balanced attack, led by Reese Widerburg with 16 points and Dominick Contreras with 15. Bobby Barajas had eight assists, seven steals and seven points.