VALLEY-AREA ROUNDUP : Cal Lutheran Sets Mark for Basketball Victories

Cal Lutheran University sprinted to a 30-point halftime lead, then coasted to a 99-46 win over visiting Caltech on Monday in a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men’s basketball game.

The Kingsmen (19-5, 11-2 in SCIAC play) set a school record for wins in a season, breaking the mark set during the 1977-78 season when the Kingsmen finished 18-11. Ahmet Baras hit six three-point baskets and finished with a game-high 23 points for the Kingsmen, who shot 75% from the field in the first half.

As expected, Ventura College is the top-seeded team in the junior college men’s basketball South regionals.

Also in the tournament, but in the opposite bracket, are 10th-seeded Antelope Valley (23-8), 18th-seeded Canyons (18-14), 19th-seeded Moorpark (18-13) and 23rd-seeded Glendale (16-14).

Ventura (32-1) will open at home against San Diego City (10-16) and Antelope Valley will play host to Glendale. Canyons will be at Mira Costa (19-8) and Moorpark will travel to Rio Hondo (19-10).

First-round games in the North and South regionals are Saturday, followed by the second round on March 3 and the third round on March 6. The winners in the third round advance to the final eight tournament March 11-13 at the University of San Francisco.