Women's basketball team hosts Bakersfield Wednesday

Courtesy of Toni Lavacot
Courtesy of Toni Lavacot

Irvine Valley's women's basketball team will play again at home as the Southern California Regional Playoffs continue on Wednesday.

Irvine Valley, seeded third, will host No. 6 Bakersfield in a third-round game at 7 p.m.

The winner moves on to a regional final on Saturday against either No. 2 East Los Angeles or No. 7 El Camino.

The Lasers are riding a 14-game win streak.

Irvine Valley has a record of 26-3 overall and won the Orange Empire Conference with a 12-0 mark.

It was IVC's first conference title since the 1998-99 season and first undefeated conference campaign in program history.

Irvine Valley sophomore center Breanna Turner was picked as the OEC MVP and freshmen guards Jordan Coleman and Tara Casey were each named first team all-conference.

Sophomore forward Conerie Brennan was chosen second team all-conference for the Lasers.

The Lasers have a record of 11-0 at home this season.

IVC is coming off of a 58-48 win over Cerritos in the second round of the playoffs last Friday.

After trailing by two in the second half, IVC out-scored Cerritos, 18-6, to close out the game and the win.

Turner finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds, Casey had nine points and sophomore guard Karli Kato chipped in nine big points for IVC in the victory.

On the season, Turner is averaging 14.3 points and 11.7 rebounds, Casey is averaging 11.0 points and 4.0 rebounds, Coleman is averaging 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.0 steals, Brennan averages 6.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists, Kato is averaging 6.4 points and Erika Mercado is averaging 6.0 points and 2.4 assists per game.

Bakersfield has a record of 23-4 overall and was 11-3 to win the Western State Conference South.

It is riding an eight-game win streak, including beating No. 11 Mt. San Jacinto, 61-54, at home on Saturday night in the second round of the playoffs.

In the win over Mt. San Jacinto, Nakia Page, who was named MVP of the WSC South, led all scorers with 19 points for the Renegades.

Yoemma Esperza, Claesey Tarver and Khiylah Dean each added nine points.

Bakersfield's only losses on the season came at home to Santa Ana (68-67) on Dec. 28, at home to Santa Monica (73-52) on Jan. 17, at home to Glendale (69-65) on Jan. 21 and at Antelope Valley (68-63) on Jan. 28.

On the year, Bakersfield has seven players that average at least six points per game.

Page leads the way, averaging 17.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. Tarver averages 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds, Alex Green is averaging 7.7 points, Esparza averages 6.8 points and 3.4 assists and Rosebrooke Hunt averages 6.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.