Basketball Titles Net Mixed Playoff Rewards at Irvine Valley

The Irvine Valley men’s basketball team got one of the coveted top four spots in the Southern California men’s basketball playoffs, but the Lasers’ path to the state tournament is a difficult one.

Irvine Valley (25-7) was seeded fourth in the 32-team field and is assured of playing at home for as long as the Lasers are in the playoffs.

Irvine Valley, which won the Orange Empire Conference, hosts No. 29 Glendale (14-17) Saturday. After that, things get very difficult.

The second round could see Irvine Valley in a March 5 showdown with No. 13 Southwestern (21-11), which opens Friday with No. 20 Los Angeles Southwest (16-12).

Irvine Valley, which was led in scoring by Daryl Todd at 20 points a game, and Southwestern split two early-season meetings but Irvine Valley later got the victory back as one of eight victories Southwestern had to forfeit for using an ineligible player.

Ventura is the other team looming in the Lasers’ future. The Pirates (25-6) are seeded fifth and could meet Irvine Valley in a March 8 matchup. Ventura, the two-time defending state champion, opens with No. 28 Rio Hondo (15-17) then meets the winner of No. 12 Mt. San Antonio (18-11) and No. 21 Cerro Coso (14-16).

“It’s not going to be easy,” Irvine Valley Coach Jerry Hernandez said. “But we’re fortunate we have an opportunity to do it all at home.”

Fullerton, the second-place team in the Orange Empire Conference, was seeded 11th. The Hornets (18-12) host No. 22 Long Beach (15-14) and No. 17 Santa Barbara (15-14) is at No. 16 Saddleback (19-10). Both games are Friday.

In Saturday’s games: No. 26 Rancho Santiago (15-14) is at No. 7 Chaffey (24-10) and No. 23 Cypress (14-15) is at No. 10 Santa Monica (22-8).

The final teams from Southern California meet the remaining four from Northern California in the state tournament March 14-16 at San Jose State.