Ventura-Northridge Matchup: Coaches Give Matadors Nod

The Ventura College basketball team is breezing by its junior college opponents this season, but are the Pirates good enough to beat a Division I team such as Cal State Northridge?

That question was put to several area experts, all of whom agreed that Ventura, even with five Division I prospects, would not have much chance of winning.

“A junior college team couldn’t beat the worst Division I team,� said Remy McCarthy, Oxnard College coach. “CSUN is older, bigger, smarter and good. Ventura players are too young.�

But the game probably wouldn’t be a blowout.

“It might be pretty competitive,� said Brian Beauchemin, coach at Glendale College. “Ventura (players are) awfully strong and don’t seem to have many flaws, but they haven’t had to turn it up a notch to play at a (higher) level. CSUN’s guards would give Ventura all they wanted and more.�

A basketball referee who has seen both teams play this season said the hypothetical matchup “would probably be a good game, but that’s not taking anything away from Northridge. Talent-wise, Ventura would be right there with them, but there’s a tremendous difference between junior college and Division I.�

And what does Ventura Coach Philip Mathews think of his team’s prospects against CSUN? “We have more talent,� he said, “but you can’t beat maturity and strength. They’d probably hurt us.�