Irvine Valley Is Off to Good Start in Playoffs

Irvine Valley won its seventh consecutive game, using a late second-half burst to defeat visiting Desert, 64-54, in a first-round game of the Southern California men’s basketball playoffs Friday.

Earl Sanchez scored 10 of his 19 points in the final 6 minutes 4 seconds to help the Lasers (21-10) break open a one-point game.

Mike Ahmad scored 18 points and Imran Sufi scored 16 points, including four first-half three-pointers, for Irvine Valley, which advanced to play the Moorpark-Southwestern winner.

In other playoff games:

Fullerton 84, Palomar 70--Todd Jones had 31 points, going nine of 13 from the field and 11 of 13 from the free-throw line, and Chris Smith had 26 points, including six three-pointers, for visiting Fullerton (18-14), which advanced to play the L.A. City-Cuyamaca winner.

Mt. San Jacinto 82, Cypress 73--Moises Alvarez scored 27 points, including six three-pointers, for host Mt. San Jacinto (20-11).

Meko Parker scored 29 points and made eight three-pointers to tie a school record for Cypress (14-18).

In the women’s playoffs:

Cypress 70, Rio Hondo 64--Triana Allen scored 19 of her 21 points in the second half, including eight in the final three minutes, to help visiting Cypress (11-19) defeat ninth-seeded Rio Hondo (22-11).

The Chargers play eighth-seeded San Diego Mesa Tuesday.