Saddleback Seeking to Clear Big Hurdle

The second round of the Southern California men’s basketball playoffs is hardly new territory for Saddleback.

This is the sixth consecutive time the Gauchos (25-5) have made it this far.

Saddleback, seeded seventh, hosts No. 10 Bakersfield (22-10) at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

“They have a real nice team,” Saddleback Coach Bill Brummel said after seeing Bakersfield beat Barstow, 100-80, Friday. “They are kind of a small team like us, so it’s going to be a good test of our press.”

If Saddleback gets by Bakersfield, it would mean another appearance in the regional final round with a berth in the state tournament going to the winner.

This is the round that has vexed the Gauchos the last four seasons.

Last season: Saddleback traveled to Los Angeles City and lost, 83-70.

In 1994: The Gauchos lost to eventual state-champion Long Beach, 72-66, in Long Beach.

In 1993: Saddleback played at home but was upset by Los Angeles Trade Tech, 59-58.

In 1992: Saddleback took on top-seeded Ventura and lost 86-72, in Ventura.

Anthony Carter, a sophomore guard, needs three points to become the college’s all-time leading scorer. But after a 98-73 victory over San Diego Mesa Saturday, Carter said, “I don’t care if I never get the scoring record. I just want to make it to the state tournament.”

A victory over Bakersfield would advance Saddleback to play the winner of No. 18 Irvine Valley (16-16) and No. 2 MiraCosta (25-3).

Irvine Valley is seeking its second consecutive road victory after the Lasers upset No. 15 Los Angeles Southwest, 98-87, Friday.

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Women’s basketball: In second-round games tonight: Saddleback (27-0), the second-seeded team, hosts No. 18 Los Angeles Harbor (20-10) at 5:30 and No. 10 Orange Coast is at No. 7 San Diego Mesa (22-6) at 7.

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Retired number: Mark Eaton, who earned his first basketball fame at Cypress College years before his impressive NBA career, will have his No. 53 retired by the Utah Jazz Friday. The Jazz host the Knicks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

Eaton, who is 7 feet 4, played 12 seasons for Utah before retiring last season.

He finished with 3,064 blocked shots, 125 fewer than all-time leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Eaton was the league’s defensive player of the year in 1985 and 1989, and holds the NBA’s single-season record for blocked shots (456, 1984-85).

As a sophomore at Cypress, Eaton averaged 15 points and nine rebounds and the Chargers won the state title in 1980.

Eaton played two seasons at UCLA before moving on to the NBA.

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Softball: Orange Empire Conference play begins Wednesday with Rancho Santiago, the defending champion, at Cypress. Golden West is at Irvine Valley, Orange Coast is at Fullerton and Saddleback is at Riverside.

All four games start at 3 p.m.

Rain and wet fields have canceled many games, including the Hancock tournament, which Cypress, Fullerton, Golden West and Fullerton were scheduled to compete in last Saturday and Sunday.

Notes

First place is on the line when Orange Coast travels to Golden West at 7 tonight in an Orange Empire Conference men’s volleyball match. Golden West, the defending state champion, is 5-0, 4-0 in the conference. Orange Coast, which won the state title in 1994, is 5-1, 3-1.