The Irvine Valley men's basketball team dropped a key Orange Empire Conference game to Saddleback on Tuesday night at home.
The Lasers went into the match-up with the Bobcats in a race for the spot in the conference.
Santiago Canyon, Irvine Valley and Saddleback were all within a game of third place.
Saddleback beat the Lasers, 73-64, to improve its record to 16-9 overall and 8-5 in conference. Irvine Valley went to 16-8 overeall and also 8-5 in conference.
IVC made just 6 of 22 shots from three-point range and only went to the line six times (4 of 6).
Saddleback made nine three-pointers and went 14 of 15 from the charity stripe in its win.
Irvine Valley was paced by sophomore guard Luc Krystkowiak with 25 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Freshman guard Gavin O'Neill added 11 points and four rebounds and freshma guard Brian Mendoza came off the bench with eight points and three assists for the Lasers.
Saddleback was paced by Jimuel Reyes with 25 points (10 of 13 from the field and 4 of 6 from three-point range) to go along with six rebounds, five assists and two steals. And Atiba Taylor had 22 points, three rebounds and three assists for Saddleback.
Irvine Valley plays again at Santiago Canyon on Thursday at 4 p.m.
