Kashif Watson Blake Wallace Bryce Webster
No. 6 seed Irvine Valley (26-4) wrapped up the regular season with a 90-74 Orange Empire Conference victory over Saddleback last Friday. It was IVC's third straight victory. The team defeated Santa Ana by 33 points and Cypress by 29 points before the 16-point win over the Gauchos. The win over Saddleback secured second place in the conference for the Lasers. IVC finished one game behind Fullerton. IVC got 18 points from both Kashif Watson and Jeff Ledbetter in the win. Watson also had six rebounds. Blake Wallace added 12 points and 12 rebounds, Franklin Session had 10 points, Bryce Webster finished with nine points and La'Shard Anderson contributed eight points and seven assists. The win was the team’s 26th, tying the record for most in a season. The 1996-97 IVC squad, which won a conference title, finished at 26-9. Irvine Valley ended up being ranked seventh in the state and third in Southern California in the final regular season polls. But IVC was dropped down to a sixth seed for the playoffs because it didn’t win its conference. On the season, Watson leads the team, averaging 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals. Wallace is averaging 12.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and shooting 60.5 percent from the field. Bryce Webster is averaging 11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and is shooting 64.2 percent from the field. Ledbetter averages 9.9 points and is shooting 44.6 percent from three-point range. Anderson averages 9.7 points, 3.4 assists and 2.2 steals per game and Jason Toney is averaging 6.6 points. IVC is averaging 80.8 points a game and is giving up 64.1 points per game.
No. 12 seed Desert (21-9) was ranked 11th in the final regular season Southern California poll. It finished as a tri-champ in the Foothill Conference. Mt. San Jacinto, Antelope Valley and Desert all had records of 10-4 in conference. Desert has won three straight games. It defeated San Bernardino Valley, 68-64, to close out the regular season. Julius Lang had 15 points and 12 rebounds, Jamar Cannon and Antoine Davis came off the bench with 13 points and 12 points, respectively, and De’Andre James finished with nine points, nine rebounds, five assists and five steals. On the season, Lang is averaging 17.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.8 steals per game. Davis is averaging 12.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4.3 steals, Cannon averages 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds and James is averaging 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.2 steals per game. Patrick Rochelle chips in 7.5 points and 6.3 rebounds and Andrew Avalos averages 6.5 points. Desert averages 83.5 points per game and gives up 77.0 points per game.
*The two teams had eight common opponents this season. Desert was 7-2 against those teams, while Irvine Valley was 10-0. Desert lost to Santa Monica, 65-61, while IVC beat Santa Monica two times, 88-63, and, 86-63. Desert also lost to Miramar, 85-83, while IVC beat Miramar, 85-68. Both teams pounded Palomar, Saddleback, Southwestern and Barstow. IVC defeated Rio Hondo, 82-65, while Desert won, 81-78. Desert defeated Cuyamaca, 85-73, while IVC had a tougher time, 66-61.
Other men’s Southern California Regional Playoff games
Friday – No. 11 Bakersfield at No. 5 Mt. San Jacinto, No. 10 Antelope Valley at No. 7 LA Southwest, No. 9 Riverside at No. 8 LA City
Saturday – No. 17 Imperial Valley at No. 1 Citrus, No. 18 Glendale at No. 2 Fullerton, No. 15 Cerritos at No. 3 LA Trade Tech, No. 13 LA Valley at No. 4 Ventura
*Imperial Valley, Glendale, Cerritos and LA Valley were quarterfinal winners Wednesday night.