Irvine's Special Season Ends In Regional Final

by Irvine Valley College Athletics

The Irvine Valley women's basketball team's special 2014-15 season came to an end on Saturday in a Southern California Regional Playoffs Final.

The Lasers, seeded third, lost to No. 2 East Los Angeles, 75-62, at East Los Angeles.

The Huskies move on to next weekend's CCCAA State Championships.

Irvine Valley finishes its year with a record of 27-4 overall. It is the second most wins in program history, only behind the 28 victories (28-7) the 1998-99 squad tallied.

Guided by 17th-year head coach Julie Hanks, the Lasers won their first Orange Empire Conference title this season since 1998-99 and captured the first ever undefeated conference campaign, going 12-0.

Sophomore center Breanna Turner was named the conference MVP, freshmen guards Jordan Coleman and Tara Casey were named first team all-conference and sophomore forward Conerie Brennan was picked second team all-conference.

Hanks was named the conference's coach of the year.

Turner was also chosen first team all-state this past week.

Irvine Valley won 13 straight games to finish the regular season and had won 15 in a row overall before the loss at East Los Angeles on Saturday.

The Lasers trailed, 33-29, at halftime, but the Huskies finished the game strong in the second half to earn the 75-62 victory.

East Los Angeles out-scored Irvine Valley, 42-33, in the second half.

Irvine Valley was paced by Turner, who had 23 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Karli Kato had 11 points and three rebounds.

Brennan had nine points, eight rebounds and three assists and Coleman and freshman guard Erika Mercado each ended with six points. Mercado added five rebounds and six assists.

IVC players battled foul trouble with Turner and Coleman each having four fouls and Kato fouling out.

Irvine Valley shot 40.4 percent (21 of 52) from the field, but was just 4 of 15 from three-point range (26.7 percent) and 16 of 23 (69.6 percent) from the free throw line.

The Lasers also hurt themselves with 22 turnovers. East Los Angeles had 15 turnovers.

And the Huskies out-rebounded Irvine Valley, 42-34, overall and, 17-10, on offensive boards.

East Los Angeles got 24 points and seven rebounds from Kyla Martin-Burnley, 15 points from Abigail Vasquez and 12 points each from Joselyne Diaz and Olivia Ochoa.

http://www.ivclasers.com/sports/wbkb/2014-15/releases/201503089lkbmf

photo by Toni Lavacot