The California Community College Women's Basketball Coaches Association (CCCWBCA) announced its 2025 Hall of Fame class this past week as Ventura's Adria Sneed, Pasadena City's Kim Smith, and Irvine Valley's Phouangmaly "Pong" Pravongviengkham are the year's inductees.
Pravongviengkham will be honored at the state tournament in March before the state tournament. The state event will be held at Mt. SAC from Mar. 14-16.
Pong was an absolute star at IVC.
The 5-6 point guard, known for her tenacious defense, skills on the ball and playmaking, was one of the best players in Irvine Valley women's basketball history, as well as the Orange Empire Conferene.
Pravongviengkham played at Irvine Valley during the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons, was named conference MVP, helped her squad win a school-best overall record and led the Lasers to the state tournament for the first time.
She helped lead Irvine Valley to 52 wins over the two campaigns and two deep playoff runs.
Irvine Valley had a record of 25-8 in 1997-98 and 27-6 in 1998-99.
The 27 wins was a school record and tied by the 2014-15 squad.
During the 1997-98 season the Lasers reached the third round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs.
Pong averaged 9.5 points and 5.8 assists per game and was named first team All-Orange Empire Conference.
And in the 1998-99 season, with Pong running the show, Irvine Valley reached the CCCAA state tournament for the first time in college history.
IVC, under first-year coach Julie Hanks, also won the Orange Empire Conference title with a record of 13-1 that year.
Pravongviengkham was selected as the conference's Most Valuable Player that year.
She earned even more honors at the end of the season, being named first team All-Southern California and chosen first team all-state.
The speedy guard out of Huntington Beach High played and started in all 33 of Irvine Valley's games and averaged 13.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.03 assists and 2.75 steals a game during the 1998-99 season.
She set the school record for assists in a game with 13 in an 81-60 playoff win over Southwestern. Pong had four games with at least 10 assists that season.
The assists record for a game was broken just this past season (2023-24) by Haruka Mikuma against Riverside with 17 assists.
Pravongviengkham ended up receiving a full scholarship to play at NCAA Division I Northern Arizona University and played there during the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons.
