Irvine Valley's men's basketball team received a huge effort from its bench players and pulled out a 80-73 Orange Empire Conference win over Santa Ana last Friday night on the road.
Irvine Valley reserves out-scored Santa Ana bench players, 48-16, to help earn the victory.
The win improved Irvine Valley's record to 12-10 overall and 3-4 in conference. Santa Ana's record fell to 6-17 overall and 1-6 in conference.
With Irvine Valley's top player and leading scorer Lance Coleman II in foul trouble most of the night, the Lasers needed others to step up.
Freshman guard Daniel Hernandez led the charge off the IVC bench with 17 points. He went 5 of 5 from the three-point line in the contest.
Freshman forward Parker Sims, who also came off the bench, added 11 points and seven rebounds.
Sophomore guard Anthony Hernandez contributed 11 points, five rebounds and eight assists and sophomore guard Mike Turner chipped in 10 points and four rebounds.
Freshman forward Zane Paddon also played solidly off the bench for IVC with 10 points.
Irvine Valley ended up shooting 51.8 percent (29 of 56) from the field in the game, including 45.5 percent (10 of 22) from three-point range.
The Lasers also overcame a strong effort by Santa Ana's QV Johnson, who finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Xavier Gunter ended with nine points, 16 rebounds and two blocks.
Santa Ana took a 44-40 lead with 15:02 left in the game on a layup by Johnson.
But Daniel Hernandez sank a three-pointer to get IVC within a point. And then a layup by Paddon with 13:51 gave Irvine Valley the lead for good at 45-44.
Sims followed with a layup to put Irvine Valley in front, 47-44.
Up, 53-48, Irvine Valley scored five straight points - on a three-pointer by Daniel Hernandez and another layup by Paddon - to go up, 58-48, with 10:04 to play.
Santa Ana didn't get closer than four points the rest of the way.
Another three-pointer by Daniel Hernandez made it a 69-62 game with 5:28 left.
Irvine Valley plays again on Wednesday, hosting Saddleback at 5 p.m. The game is part of the Presidents' Cup series between the two district rivals.
