Antelope Valley Will Play Only at Home in Regional

Fourth-seeded Antelope Valley College earned home-court advantage for as long as it survives in the 27-team Southern California regional of the men’s junior college state basketball tournament. It was one of three Valley-area teams crammed into the same bracket as teams were seeded Tuesday.

Foothill Conference champion Antelope Valley (27-6) and Western State Conference champion Valley (22-10), the fifth-seeded team, each earned a first-round bye.

However, if the tournament follows form, Antelope Valley and Valley will meet March 3 for a berth among the final eight teams that will play at UC Irvine on March 8-10.

Moorpark (21-10), seeded 13th, will play Orange Coast (14-13) at 7 p.m. Saturday, and the winner will travel to Antelope Valley for a game at 7 p.m. a week from today.

Next Wednesday, Valley will play host to the winner of the game between Golden West (21-10) and Pasadena (14-16).

The four highest-seeded teams have home-court advantage throughout the regional; four teams from each of the Southern California and Northern California regionals will advance.

Antelope Valley has defeated Valley twice and Moorpark once this season and has won its past 12 games. Valley, however, has been nearly as hot, winning seven of its past eight games.

Eleventh-seeded Glendale (22-11) will be at home for a first-round game against Citrus (15-17) at 7 p.m. Saturday. The winner will play sixth-seeded Cerritos (22-10) a week from today.