Irvine Valley sophomore men's basketball player Austin Priest has committed to Chapman College, according to Laser coach Jerry Hernandez.
Priest was a two-year player for IVC.
This past year, he played in 29 games and averaged 3.3 points and 2.5 rebound per game.
The former Canyon High standout had his best game of the season in one of Irvine Valley's biggest wins. He scored 15 points on 6 of 8 shooting, including going 3 of 3 from three-point range in 30 minutes of action as Irvine Valley knocked off Cerritos, 83-77, in overtime to win its own IVC Classic tournament last November. Cerritos was one of the top-ranked teams in California heading into the season.
Priest also scored 12 points in an important 88-76 IVC win over Fullerton in Orange Empire Conference action in January.
He helped the team to a 25-5 record overall, 9-3 conference mark and a trip to the playoffs this past year. IVC also achieved its first No. 1 ranking in the state during the 2013-14 season.
The 6-6 Priest played in 25 games his freshman year in 2012-13 for the Lasers and averaged 2.0 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.
Priest scored in 16 games with a high of six points in a win over Cypress and he grabbed a season-high eight rebounds in a win over Cuyamaca.
Priest was also a scholar athlete at Irvine Valley both years.
He is heading to a Division 3 Chapman program that finished with an overall record of 18-10 overall last season. The Panthers were 10-6 in conference, won the SCIAC Postseason Tournament and reached the NCAA Division 3 Tournament.
