Rojas and Simon Power Panthers to Second Round

The men's basketball team surged into the second round of the 3C2A Regional Playoffs with a decisive 84-73 victory over Irvine Valley College on Saturday night, in front of a loud Chaffey home crowd. 

The Panthers came out on fire shooting above 50 percent from the field and three-point line. This team came out motivated, focused, and determined to not have a repeat of a dissapointing first-round exit last season against Saddlback College. "We came out ready to go and took a big lead, which we never relinquised,' says head coach Jeff Klein. The team entered into halftime with a 13-point advantage.

Like any team that has advanced to the playoff stage, nothing is ever easy. Irvine Valley is a solid team with players that can hurt you from the outside, and a dominant center that plays similar to Nikola Jokic. Chaffey had to devise a game plan that not only would disrupt their strategy to pound the ball inside, but also be smart and quick enough to rotate and cover the outside shot. 

"We wanted to make them uncomfortable and speed them up. We wanted to disrupt their point guard, Allen Moser as much as we can. Once we disrupted him, we also heavily focused on their center Matt Mowers. He has great hands and feet with a soft touch. We knew he'd be a load so we had to give them plenty of attention." 

The plan worked. Moser was put in early foul trouble, and that hampered the offensive flow of the Lasers. The defensive pressure the Panthers deployed was incredible. The turnovers created in the first half, set the tone the entire game. 

Uriyah Rojas delivered another dominant performance, leading the charge for Chaffey with 26 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, and an assist. Rojas, at times, proved to be unstoppable on the court, besides being closely guarded. Nate Simon was also incredible, adding 23 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds.

Jace Conway and Ryan Lewis rounded out a great team effort, each coming up with big rebounds and put-backs at crucial times. Lewis finished with 6 points, 4 rebounds, and a key block, while Conway tallied 7 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal. 

Free throws were crucial for Chaffey. The Panthers took advantage on Irvine Valley's second-half foul trouble, shooting 20 of 24 from the line, while the Lasers were 8 of 14. "Getting to the line and converting free throws was crucial for us," Coach Klein emphasized.

Looking ahead, the Panthers face West LA College. "They are a very athletic and deep team that has been successful in close conference games," Klein noted. "To win on their home court, we'll need to deliver our best performance and rebound effectively." The game is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start.