Thanks to quality wins over postseason qualifiers as well as completing one of the toughest schedules in the state, Rio Hondo College has been named the No. 12 seed for the upcoming 2019 Southern California Regional Playoffs and will travel to face No. 5-seed Ventura College in a second-round game on Friday (March 1) at 7 p.m.
2019 SoCal Regional Playoffs Bracket
Tickets to the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) postseason event at the VC Athletic Event Center are $12 for general admission and $8 for all identified students, faculty, staff, senior citizens age 60 and over, and children less than 12 years of age.
Second-year Rio Hondo head coach Rene Herrera will be making his postseason debut while the Roadrunners will be making their second playoff appearance since 2016. Rio Hondo recently wrapped up the regular season with a 16-14 overall record and went 3-7 in the highly-competitive South Coast Conference North Division.
The Roadrunners played an amazing 2018-19 schedule that saw them face 13 of the 19 Southern California Playoff qualifiers (No. 1 Moorpark, No. 2 L.A. Trade Tech, No. 3 East Los Angeles, No. 4 Mt. San Antonio, No. 5 Ventura, No. 6 Pasadena City, No. 7 Mt. San Jacinto, No. 8 El Camino, No. 10 West Los Angeles, No. 15 Canyons, No. 16 Cerritos, No. 17 Citrus, and No. 18 MiraCosta). Rio Hondo also took on No. 2-seeded Merced College and No. 12 Fresno City College from the Northern California Playoffs.
The Roadrunners' biggest win of the season came early when they knocked off then No. 1 state-ranked Mt. SAC in the championship game of the Mounties' Tip Off Tournament back on Nov. 4.
Ventura closed out the regular season with a 23-8 overall record and finished second in the Western State Conference North Division at 8-2. The Pirates enter the playoffs having won 13 of their last 16 games.
Friday will mark the second meeting of the season between Rio Hondo and Ventura. On Dec. 29, the Pirates beat the Roadrunners 64-49 in the second round of the VC-Optimist Club Holiday Tournament.
The winner will take on either No. 4 Mt. San Antonio College and No. 13 Irvine Valley College in a third-round game on March 9. Two wins are needed to advance to the CCCAA Basketball State Championship in Ventura on March 15-17.