Valencia alive and well in postseason play thanks to sharp-shooter

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John Otavka has never met a jumper he didn’t like. From the top of the key, down along the baseline, beyond the three-point arc, it doesn’t matter. If he’s given room out on the perimeter, you better believe the senior guard for the Valencia boys’ basketball team is going to put up a shot.

In fact, the Vikings would not be in tonight’s quarterfinal game of the Southern Section Division II-AA boys’ basketball playoffs against Arroyo Valley if Otavka had not buried the game-winning three-pointer in Tuesday’s 51-48 victory over host Fullerton. Can’t imagine there was any doubt about who was going to take that shot.

Otavka averages a team-best 12.8 points a game, a total that’s somewhat deceiving considering he’s shown the ability to score in bunches against teams such as Saugus, Hart and Menlo. And the sharp-shooter will have to duplicate the feat one more time if the Vikings are going to have any shot of advancing to the semifinals.

-- Sean Ceglinsky