The Anaheim boys basketball team won the Grove League championship with an 8-0 record.

That’s the best league record in 40 years at Orange County’s third-oldest high school. (Anaheim was founded in 1898, Santa Ana and Fullerton are a few years older.)

The Colonists, 15-10 overall, have a game today against Desert Hot Springs (12-10), the Sun Valley League champion, at Anaheim High in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 5AA playoffs.

They are playing a winning and entertaining brand of basketball.

“We’re a fast-paced team,” said Anaheim coach Alfonso Rodriguez, in his ninth year as head coach after serving 11 years as an assistant. “We get up and down the court quickly.”

His son, senior guard AJ Rodriguez, is among the team’s top scorers. Senior forward Anthony Spagnoletti adds plenty of scoring and rebounding. Other major contributors include senior guard Isaiah Guerra and junior guard Aydan Ibarra.

Guerra transferred to Anaheim from Calvary Chapel, but like the rest of the players on the roster has lived in the Anaheim High community.

Anaheim defeated Avalon last year in the first round of the Division 5A playoffs on Catalina Island before losing in the second round at Rancho Alamitos.

Coach Rodriguez is confident this season the Colonists can go a step or more further.

“We’re seeing the fruition of our hard work, of staying in the community and playing here,” he said. “Now we’re seeing the rewards.”

NOTES

Santa Margarita (22-5), the No. 1 team in the Orange County Top 25, has a first-round bye in the Open Division before playing at home against Trinity League rival JSerra (21-7) in the second round of Pool A on Friday. Santa Margarita beat JSerra in their two league games, 70-49 at Santa Margarita and 65-60 at JSerra. …

Crean Lutheran is 15-11 going into its Division 1 home playoff game today against San Clemente (23-5). More importantly for Crean Lutheran is how the Saints are going into the playoffs — with momentum. They are 9-2 over their past 11 games with those losses to two very good teams, Damien and Mater Dei. …

Irvine takes its 19-game winning streak into today’s Division 2A first-round home game against Bishop Amat. Irvine (26-2), led by senior forward Cooper Stearns who is averaging 20 points and 13 rebounds a game, won the Pacific Coast League championship. Bishop Amat (23-5) is the champion of the Camino Real League. With the new computer-based method of seeding playoff divisions, Bishop Amat-Irvine is one of many first-round games matching league champions. …

The Villa Park Division 2A home game is at Santiago Canyon College on today at 7 p.m. Renovations to Villa Park’s gym have been delayed following a fatal accident there a few months ago, so the Spartans (19-9) have played home games and held practices at various locations. They play Holy Martyrs (17-8).