The Irvine Valley men's basketball team has its toughest match-up yet this season Friday night at home at 6 p.m.
The Lasers, which are 11-5 overall and 2-2 in the Orange Empire Conference, take on No. 4 in the state Fullerton.
The Hornets have a record of 14-3 overall and are 5-0 in the OEC.
Fullerton pounded Orange Coast, 79-41, at home on Wednesday.
It was the seventh straight win for Fullerton.
The Hornets jumped out to a 25-9 lead and never looked back.
Christian Watson led all scorers with 18 points and added five assists, four blocks and four rebounds.
Justin Davis finished with 11 points and JQ Strong ended with 10 points and eight rebounds for Fullerton.
Amound Anderson II had eight points and four rebounds and Jaden Byers chipped in eight points and five rebounds.
On the season, Fullerton has six players averaging at least 7.6 points per game, led by Davis at 14.6 points. Watson averages 12.1 points, Anderson II is averaging 9.5 points, Byers averages 9.1 points, Godfrey Little is averaging 7.8 points and Addy G'Bye averages 7.6 points.
Andrew Pipersburgh leads the squad in rebounding at 5.8 per game and Watson is averaging 3.0 assists per game for the Hornets.
Irvine Valley went on the road and won a thriller on Wednesday, defeating Santa Ana, 62-61.
IVC out-scored Santa Ana by 10 points in the second half and sophomore guard Roman Swizek made a game-winning three-pointer with 19 seconds left to help lift the Lasers to the victory.
Swizek finished with 19 points and four rebounds. He made 4 of 7 three-point attempts.
Sophomore post player Jesse Stines added 17 points and six rebounds, freshman forward Josiah Reed had eight points and six rebounds and sophomore point guard David Ogunlade and sophomore guard Luke Farrington each contributed six points.
Ogunlade also had six rebounds and five assists for IVC.
On the year, Stines is averaging 13.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Swizek lifted his scoring average to 11.1 points per game.
He has scored in double figures in eight of the last 10 games for IVC. Farrington is averaging 8.5 points and shooting 52.0 percent from three-point range.
Freshman guard Ammon Allan averages 7.5 points and Ogunlade is averaging 6.9 points, 2.7 assists and 1.5 steals a game for Irvine Valley.
Upcoming Irvine Valley Schedule
1/17 at *Santiago Canyon (6 p.m.)
1/19 vs. *Golden West (6 p.m.)
1/24 at *Cypress (5 p.m.)
*Orange Empire Conference game
