Laguna Hills' Historic Boys Basketball Season Ends in State Playoffs

Laguna Hills High School's boys basketball team falls to Vasquez in the first round of the CIF Southern California Regional Division IV playoffs.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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The Laguna Hills High School boys basketball team's historic season came to an end on Tuesday with a 93-79 loss to Vasquez in the first round of the CIF Southern California Regional Division IV playoffs. The Hawks had won their first-ever CIF Southern Section boys basketball championship just three days earlier, but were unable to overcome Vasquez's hot shooting performance.

Why it matters

Laguna Hills' boys basketball team made history this season by winning the school's first-ever CIF Southern Section championship, a remarkable achievement for the program. While their playoff run ended sooner than hoped, the team's success this year has put the community on notice and raised expectations for the future.

The details

Laguna Hills, led by sophomore guard Fletcher Freeman's 30 points, was unable to match Vasquez's offensive firepower. The Mustangs shot 57% from the field and 54% from 3-point range, compared to just 43% and 30% respectively for the Hawks. Laguna Hills senior forward Jackson Burnham added 26 points and 10 rebounds in the losing effort.

  • The Hawks won the CIF-SS Division 4 championship on Saturday, March 1, 2026.
  • Laguna Hills lost to Vasquez, 93-79, in the first round of the CIF Southern California Regional Division IV playoffs on Tuesday, March 4, 2026.

The players

Sean Sargeant

The head coach of the Laguna Hills High School boys basketball team.

Fletcher Freeman

A sophomore guard for the Laguna Hills High School boys basketball team who scored 30 points in the playoff loss.

Jackson Burnham

A senior forward for the Laguna Hills High School boys basketball team who scored 26 points and had 10 rebounds in the playoff loss.

Vasquez

The high school in Acton, an Antelope Valley community, that defeated Laguna Hills in the first round of the CIF Southern California Regional Division IV playoffs.

Carter Parker

A sophomore guard for Vasquez who led his team with 27 points in the playoff win.

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What they’re saying

“I'm proud of the boys. It's not the way you want to go out, but we had a heck of a run.”

— Sean Sargeant, Head Coach, Laguna Hills High School Boys Basketball (ocregister.com)

“They couldn't miss. Like I said at the end of the game the other night (Saturday), when we hit our shots we're hard to beat. But we didn't make shots tonight and they did.”

— Sean Sargeant, Head Coach, Laguna Hills High School Boys Basketball (ocregister.com)

What’s next

The Vasquez Mustangs will host Moreno Valley in the Division IV second round on Thursday, March 6, 2026.

The takeaway

Laguna Hills' historic boys basketball season, which included the school's first-ever CIF Southern Section championship, ended in disappointment with a playoff loss. However, the team's remarkable success this year has raised the profile of the program and built excitement for the future.