Irvine Valley Closes In on Conference Title

Irvine Valley’s season has been as much about gaining respect as it is about winning, according to Coach Julie Hanks and her players.

The Lasers were picked to finish fourth before the start of Orange Empire Conference play, but after beating visiting Santa Ana, 60-56, Wednesday, the Lasers are in prime position to win the conference title.

Irvine Valley (23-4, 11-0) has won 15 in a row and holds a two-game lead with three to play.

“We are just eight girls who weren’t expected to do anything,” said freshman forward Jamie Allred, who scored 18 points, got 13 rebounds and five steals. “But we’re out to get respect and look at us, we’re No. 1 in the conference.”

The teams were tied at halftime, 34-34, and Santa Ana (20-7, 9-2) used a 5-0 run to open a 45-40 lead midway in the second half. Irvine Valley rallied to go ahead, 54-52, but Santa Ana tied it at 54-54 when Rochelle Anthony (22 points) slashed to the basket for a layup with 3 minutes 32 seconds left.

Santa Ana didn’t score again until Anthony made a short jumper with seven seconds left.

The Lasers took a 56-54 lead on a short bank shot by Lauren O’Hara with 2:45 left but didn’t score again until Sarah Leeds made two free throws with 19 seconds left. O’Hara made two more free throws with 13 seconds left.

“This team showed character,” Hanks said. “You can’t coach that, you can’t teach that. I just went in [to the locker room] and wrote ‘Character’ on the board.”

Phouangmaly Pravongviengkham, Irvine Valley’s sophomore point guard, showed a great deal of character when, although limping because of first-half knee injury, she played most of the second half. She finished with five points and three assists.

In Orange Empire Conference men’s basketball:

Irvine Valley 78, Santa Ana 67--Irvine Valley (20-8, 7-4) went on a 25-9 run midway through the second half to erase a six-point deficit. Santa Ana (19-9, 7-4) trailed, 31-21, at halftime but rallied to take the lead before the Lasers’ comeback. Commander King scored 19 points and had 12 rebounds to lead Irvine Valley, and Ben Esplin added 17 points.

Saddleback 88, Cypress 68--Donzell Hayes scored 19 points and Semaj Johnson and Andre Jackson each added 18 to lead the visiting Gauchos (19-8, 10-1). Ryan Tenpas led Cypress (9-19, 2-9) with 20 points.