SOCAL REGIONAL FINALS PREVIEW

This Saturday night is do-or-die for the Panthers of Chaffey College and the Hornets of Fullerton. One team's season will end and the other will move on to the 3C2A State Championship Tournament.

In Round 2 of the SoCal Regionals last Saturday, No. 9 Chaffey upset No. 8 West LA College 86-71, while No. 1 Fullerton took care of business defeating No. 17 Southwestern College.

This Saturday night is do-or-die for the Panthers of Chaffey College and the Hornets of Fullerton. One team's season will end and the other will move on to the 3C2A State Championship Tournament.

The back-to-back Inland Empire Athletic Conference champs, Chaffey has been one of the top teams in the south all season with a 25-5 overall record, while only losing one conference game at 15-1. The Panthers finished the CCCMBCA Winning Percentage Index report in the No. 9 spot at 2.214. Under IEAC Coach of the Year Jeff Klein, the Panthers are second in the state in scoring average at 101.3 points per game. Sophomore guard Uriyah Rojas leads the team in scoring at 25.7 points per game. Sophomores Jermaine Rogers (15.3 ppg.) and Nate Simon (15.2 ppg.) will be a load to stop as all three players are dangerous shooters from beyond the arc.

It will be another tall order for the Hornet defense, who ranks 4th overall in the state holding teams to 62.8 points a game. Six-time OEC Coach of the Year head coach Perry Webster has his team running like a fine-tuned machine and is ready for the battle ahead. Leading the swarm for the Hornets is big man Joe Grahovac, who is averaging 16 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks a game. Jaqari Miles is scoring 14.4 ppg., while Addy G'Bye is putting up 11.7 ppg. Justin Davis and Kairi Shepherd have been strong guards for FC running both sides of the floor.

The last time the Panthers and Hornets played one another was back on December 10, 2022, when Chaffey took part in the Fullerton College Tournament. FC won that game 64-58 and then went on to win the state title later that season. Chaffey and Fullerton first played in 1931-  a barn-burning 25-21 victory for the Hornets.

UP Next: The No. 1 Hornets (27-3 overall) will host SoCal Regional Finals (Round 3) on Saturday, March 8th at 6:00 pm when the No. 9 Chaffey Panthers (25-5 overall) come to the Nest. The winner of this huge game moves on to the 3C2A State Tournament at Mt. San Antonio College March 13-16.

Can't make the game in person? Watch it live and free here.

The SoCal Regional Bracket

*Photo by Jim McCormack