COLLEGE BASKETBALL STATE JC TOURNAMENT : Ventura Tops 6 Area Entries in Men’s Regional

Ventura College, Moorpark and Antelope Valley are among the top seven seeded teams in the 32-team Southern California regional of the men’s state basketball tournament.

In all, six Valley-area men’s teams will begin first-round action tonight. All but Canyons, which plays at 7:30, will play at 7. Four local women’s teams also will play second-round games tonight.

Ventura, 28-4 and seeded second, has won 14 games in a row. The Pirates, Western State Conference Northern Division champions, will open at home against Golden West (11-19).

Moorpark (26-5), seeded sixth, will play at home against Grossmont (14-12). Seventh-seeded Antelope Valley (24-5), the Foothill Conference champion, will play host to East Los Angeles (15-17).

Canyons (19-12), the 11th-seeded team, brings a nine-game winning streak into a first-round game against visiting Cerro Coso (14-12).

Valley (19-12) is seeded 13th and has a home game against Mt. San Antonio (13-17). Oxnard (15-14) will play at fifth-seeded Imperial Valley (27-3).

In the women’s playoffs, Moorpark, Pierce, Valley and Ventura are all one victory away from qualifying for the state final eight next week at Valley.

Pierce, seeded 14th, pulled off the upset of the tournament by defeating third-seeded Fullerton in the first round. Pierce (21-9) will visit Bakersfield (21-10) for a 6 p.m. game.

Second-seeded Valley (29-4) will play a 5 p.m. home game against Cerritos (25-6), which it beat by 22 points earlier in the season.

Moorpark (28-4) will be at home for a 5 p.m. matchup with Riverside (24-8).

Ventura (21-10) will travel to play defending state champion and top-seeded Golden West (31-1) for a 7 p.m. game.