If the Irvine Valley men's basketball team ends up making the state tournament, it will have definitely earned it.
The Lasers were given the sixth seed and will face No. 12 College of the Desert on Friday at 7 p.m. at Irvine Valley in the semifinal round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs. Admission prices for the game are $8 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.
"We knew going into the seeding meeting that we were going to have to play and beat two very good teams to make it to state," IVC Coach Jerry Hernandez said. "There is such parity, I think, between the No. 1 and No. 12 teams. They are all extremely talented."
Irvine Valley, led by sophomores Bryce Webster, Blake Wallace and Kashif Watson, ended the regular season with a record of 26-4 and finished second in the Orange Empire Conference with a mark of 9-2.
The Lasers were ranked seventh in the final state poll and third in the final Southern California poll, but were slotted down for the playoffs because they weren't conference champions.
The team's 26 wins has tied a school record for most in a year. The 1996-97 team that won a conference title finished at 26-8.
College of the Desert finished in a three-way tie for first place in the Foothill Conference. The Roadrunners have a record of 21-9 overall. They were 10-4 in conference.
"They are very long and athletic and can really score the ball," Hernandez said. "They were tri-champs in their conference and they are playing well right now. It is going to be a real challenge."
A win and Irvine Valley would most likely face third-seeded L.A. Trade Tech in a regional final next weekend with a trip to state on the line.
Trade Tech defeated IVC earlier this season in the Saddleback Tournament, 77-68.