By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com

The Napa Valley College women's basketball team lost its opener of the 25th VC-Kiwanis Club Classic, falling on Thursday to host Ventura College, 76-57, in a nonconference game.

The loss is the second in a row for Napa Valley (2-2 overall), which is without two of its top players, returning starters Brooklyn Giles and Rose Jamison.

Giles, a sophomore guard, suffered a sprained ankle in a game against College of the Redwoods-Eureka on Nov. 4.

Jamison, a sophomore guard, had surgery on her left knee on Aug. 16.

Napa Valley fell behind 23-11 in the first quarter and trailed 44-25 at halftime.

Daralonie Sykes scored 16 points 7-of-15 shooting to lead the Storm.

Kamilah Tiongco scored 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting and was 2-of-3 from the 3-point line while also getting five rebounds.

Alicia Johnson scored eight points with two 3-pointers and three rebounds.

Also playing for Napa Valley was:

Jordyn Allen, with six points; Bella Merritt, with six points, three rebounds, three steals; Hadieh Gallegos, with six points on 3-of-5 shooting, 10 rebounds; and Aaliyah Gaitan, four points.

Napa Valley shot 43.1 percent from the field (22-of-51), 37.5 percent from 3-point distance (6-of-16), and 50.0 percent from the free-throw line (7-of-14).

The Storm was outrebounded by Ventura (4-0 overall), 49-24.

The Storm had four assists.

Three players scored in double figures for Ventura College.

Alexa Coubal scored 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field. Coubal also had 17 rebounds.

Sam McKenzie scored 16 points and had five rebounds and two steals. Elena Ferrara scored 11 points.

Ventura College also got nine points and five assists from Daphne LeBrun and nine points, eight rebounds and two assists from Tiernan Phillips.

Ventura College shot 39.2 percent from the field (31-of-79), 26.9 percent from 3-point distance (7-of-26), and 58.3 percent from the free-throw line (7-of-12).

Napa Valley continues play in the 25th VC-Kiwanis Club Classic, facing Antelope Valley College-Lancaster on Friday, Nov. 17 at 5 p.m.

The Storm plays its third and final game in the tournament on Saturday, Nov. 18 against West Hills College-Lemoore at 1 p.m.

* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.