Pirates open conference play with loss to Lasers
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Irvine Valley (8-8, 1-0) | 31 | 29 | 60 |
|
Orange Coast (2-11, 0-1) | 22 | 18 | 40 |
COSTA MESA -- The Peterson Gym baskets weren't kind to the Orange Coast College men's basketball team early on during Wednesday's 60-40 loss to visiting Irvine Valley College.
The host Pirates struggled to find offensive success through most of the first 20 minutes and trailed 22-4 with just over six minutes left in the half. Finally things began to click and Coast outscored the Lasers (8-8, 1-0) 18-9 the rest of the half and trailed 31-22.
That momentum carried into the second half as Coast (2-11, 0-1) opened things with a 9-1 run to get to within a pair at 33-31. Three-pointers by Brad Buchignani and Henry Nguyen helped spark the early run, but the Pirates just couldn't get all the way back to even.
Coast scored those nine points over the first five-plus minutes of the second half, but managed only nine more points over the final 15 minutes as IVC regrouped and pulled away down the stretch.
Buchignani led the offense with 10 points, while Devasyia Hagger added nine points and nine rebounds for Coast.
IVC's Chris Salas had 21 points to lead all scorers. The Lasers struggled from downtown, hitting just 2-of-17 from 3-point range, but outscored the Pirates, 18-4, from the free-throw line.
The Pirates will return to action on Friday at Fullerton, beginning at 7 p.m. OCC's next home game will be on Friday, Jan. 23 against Saddleback, also at 7 p.m.
