Irvine Valley's women's basketball team received the No. 11 seed and will face No. 6 Chaffey in the second round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs on Saturday at Chaffey.
Irvine Valley finished the regular season with three straight wins. It has won seven of its last nine games.
The Lasers enter the postseason with a record of 18-10 overall. They were 7-5 and finished in a tie for third place in the Orange Empire Conference.
The Lasers wrapped up the regular season with two dominating performances. They won at Fullerton, 72-46, on Feb. 13 behind 21 points from sophomore forward Taylor Casey and 17 points and 17 rebounds from freshman center Breanna Turner.
Irvine Valley then defeated Riverside, 62-35, last Wednesday at home. IVC led, 41-18, at the end of the first half in the contest.
Four players finished with 11 points for the Lasers. Turner had 11 points and 17 rebounds and freshman forward Alexis Casillas added 11 points and 12 rebounds to lead the way.
Irvine Valley is paced by its four all-conference players. Casillas was named first team all-conference after averaging 12.2 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
She led the OEC in rebounding.
Casey, sophomore guard Jasmine Kennon and Turner were named second team all-conference for IVC.
Casey is averaging 10.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, Kennon averages 8.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game and Turner is averaging 7.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Turner averaged 10.0 points and 8.1 rebounds in conference play.
Irvine Valley and Chaffey played once before this season. The Panthers defeated the Lasers, 70-61, in the semifinals of the Coast Christmas Classic on Dec. 20, 2013 at Orange Coast College.
A big difference in that game was at the three-point line. Chaffey only shot 7 for 28 (25.0 percent), but it did make seven. IVC was 0 for 10 from behind the arc.
Irvine Valley also committed 26 turnovers to Chaffey's 18 turnovers.
Chaffey finished second this season in the Foothill Conference. The Panthers have a record of 21-7 overall. They finished 7-3 in conference play.
Chaffey won five of its last six games in the regular season. It scored 87 points or more in three of those contests.
It was 1-1 in its final two contests of the regular season.
Chaffey lost at San Bernardino Valley, 67-59, on Feb. 19 and then defeated Barstow, 70-57, last Saturday at home. Dominique Worthy had 16 points and Shannon Moore finished with 14 points to lead the Panthers.
Mary Windom, Moore and Raven Dixon were each named all-conference for Chaffey this season.
Windom averages 14.4 points, Moore is averaging 12.4 points and 4.2 assists, Cierra Miles averages 8.4 points and Tyease Bryson averages 5.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for the Panthers.
This is also the final season for coach Gary Plunkett at Chaffey. He was honored before the team's home game last Saturday. Plunkett will become the Athletic Director at College of the Desert.
The winner of Saturday night's game at Chaffey will play the winner of third-seeded LA Valley and No. 14 East LA in the third round next week.
That match-up would take place on Wednesday, March 5.
