Ayala basketball standout John Edgar didn’t have a lot of college options when this season started. But he put himself on the radar in a big way in helping the Bulldogs to a CIF Southern Section Division 2AA title as well as a berth in the Division III title game.
The 6-foot-5 forward has committed to UC Irvine, choosing that school over UTEP and Incarnate Word. He also had offers from a handful of Division II schools.
“I really thought it was the best fit for me,” he said. “It’s a good school and it’s close to home so my family can come see me play. I thought it was my best option.”
Perhaps no player made a bigger splash last year than Edgar, who transferred to the school from Chino Hills halfway though his sophomore year.
He was the team’s third leading scorer as a junior but took his game to a whole other level this season.
Edgar emerged as the team’s top scorer, averaging 23 points and 10.3 rebounds. He shot 56 percent from the field and 82 percent from the free-throw line.
The postseason accolades flooded in as soon as the season ended. He was named CIF Player of the Year in Division 2AA and was the John Wooden Award winner for Division II. He was also a first-team All-Inland Valley selection.
“It would have been nice to win that last game,” he said of the Bulldogs loss to Manteca in the state championship game. “But this year couldn’t have been much better. We made history for the school.”
Playing at UC Irvine also means he’ll be going head-to-head with one of his teammates, Austen Awosika, the team’s second-leading scorer who has signed with Cal State Fullerton, also in the Big West Conference.
“Yeah we have talked about it,” he said. “It will be a lot of fun.”
