Irvine Valley's men's basketball team finished up its regular season with another win in the Orange Empire Conference Tournament Friday night at home.
The Lasers defeated Saddleback, 59-53, to take the consolation title of the event.
Irvine Valley fell to Santa Ana in the first round, responded with a tough win over Orange Coast and then held off the Bobcats in the final game of the regular season.
IVC played all three games at home.
Irvine Valley improved its record to 17-13 overall and 9-8 in conference. The Lasers should have locked up a spot in the So. Cal. regional playoffs with the victory Friday.
Those playoff pairings will be released on Sunday afternoon.
Saddleback's record went to 12-17 overall and 6-11 in the OEC.
Friday's game was close throughout with two teams that know each other well.
Irvine Valley led, 31-29, at the half and in a low-scoring second half (28-24), the Lasers took home the win.
Saddleback pulled within 56-53 on a layup by TJ Tittelfitz with 1:43 to play and the game stayed like that for nearly the next minute.
And then the biggest play/shot of the game happened.
IVC freshman point guard Allen Moser knocked down a clutch three-pointer from the left side with 49 seconds left.
It gave Irvine Valley a 59-53 lead.
Sophomore forward Josiah Reed made the pass to Moser.
The Lasers were in control from there.
IVC's defense was solid all night, limiting Saddleback to 35.6 percent (21 of 59) from the field as a team. Saddleback also shot 7 of 26 from three-point range and only took six free throws on the night.
Irvine Valley shot 42.3 percent (22 of 52) and went 9 of 13 from the line.
For the Lasers, Moser led the way with 15 points and two assists.
Sophomore guard Ammon Allan had 13 points and seven rebounds, Reed finished with nine points eight rebounds and two assists and freshman wings Yanis Aldeguer and Nate Tuttle each added seven points.
Saddleback was paced by Tittelfitz with 13 points and five rebounds and Ryan Huston wit 11 points, four rebounds and five assists.
The So. Cal. regional playoff pairings will be announced on Sunday and IVC should be in the mix.
