Edison, Fountain Valley clash in first round of CIF boys’ basketball playoffs

Edison High School boys’ basketball coach Rich Boyce said he would have preferred to play against a new opponent to open the CIF Southern Section Division 2AA playoffs.

Boyce knows that the team the Chargers drew is definitely formidable.

Edison will play at rival Fountain Valley on Wednesday night to open the postseason, according to the CIF Southern Section playoff brackets released on Sunday.

In total, eight local teams advanced to the postseason. They also include Pacifica Christian Orange County (Division 1), Laguna Beach (Division 2AA), Marina and Ocean View (Division 3A), Sage Hill (Division 4A) and Costa Mesa (Division 5AA).

All first-round games are scheduled for Wednesday unless noted, with second-round games on Friday.

Boyce said seniors Connor Collins, Jackie Kwok, Brad Luna and Luke Serven lead the Chargers (9-8), who finished third in the Surf League but received an at-large bid in Division 2AA. It is the 19th straight year that Edison has made the postseason, said Boyce, in his 21st year as head coach.

Fountain Valley (12-2), led by senior guard Jeremiah Davis and junior guard Roddie Anderson among others, was the Wave League champion. The Barons beat the Chargers 60-53 in a Sunset Conference crossover game on May 7.

“We think we can improve, and obviously they think they’ve improved a lot,” Boyce said. “It should be a fun matchup ... It’s good for us that we have to drive a five-minute drive down the road. We’re happy about that part.”

Pacifica Christian Orange County (7-8), which tied for second in the San Joaquin League, plays at Del Rey League runner-up Long Beach St. Anthony (9-3) in a Division 1 first-round game Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Pepperdine-bound senior guard Houston Mallette, the team’s only senior, leads the Tritons.

Nolan Naess, center, is a key player for the Laguna Beach High boys’ basketball team.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Surf League co-champion Laguna Beach (14-3) opens the Division 2AA playoffs at home against Empire League runner-up Cypress (10-5) on Tuesday night. Senior Nolan Naess, an Army West Point signee, leads the Breakers.

In Division 3A, Golden West League champion Ocean View (11-6) opens with a home game against Northwood (6-5), which tied for third in the Pacific Coast League. Wave League runner-up Marina (11-7) travels to play at Garden Grove (7-5), which finished second to Ocean View in the Golden West League.

Academy League runner-up Sage Hill (13-7) hosts Coastal League No. 2 finisher Santa Monica New Roads (1-1) in the first round of the Division 4A playoffs. Costa Mesa (11-6), which finished second in the Orange Coast League, hosts Heritage League at-large Montrose St. Monica Academy (8-8) to begin the Division 5AA playoffs.

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