Boys basketball: Orris hits 200!

Tony Altobelli

LA HABRA - In the record books, Corona del Mar High boys basketball

coach Paul Orris is the new Newport-Mesa District career wins leader

following Wednesday’s 50-39 win over Verbum Dei in the second round of

the Sonora Tournament, surpassing former CdM boys hoops coach, the late

Jack Errion.

Just don’t tell Orris that.

“I may be ahead of Jack, but in numbers only,” Orris said following

the win, No. 200 of his career, bettering Errion’s 199. “As far as I’m

concerned, Jack is still number one. I’m just grateful to be mentioned in

the same category with him.”

As far as Orris’ 200th win goes, it could not have been executed any

better than how the Sea Kings did it, taking the run-and-gun Eagles

completely out of their style and forcing the tempo in their favor.

“It was a sweet victory,” Orris said. “I told the boys that if we got

into a street-style game with those guys, we would lose. We made it our

mission to play our style of basketball. It may be old-fashioned and

boring, but it works. I was proud of how we took control of the game and

played with composure.”

Leading the way for the Sea Kings (6-2) was Kevin Hansen, who scored

29 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

“Kevin has a lot of moves under the basket,” Orris said. “He’s very

creative under there and he’s a very balanced player; never out of

control. He really came through for us tonight.”

The game stayed close for the first three quarters before CdM used

their patient style of basketball and outscored the Eagles, 15-5, in the

fourth quarter.

Alec Hanson, who started the game slow offensively, recovered in the

fourth quarter, scoring five of his nine points late in the fourth

quarter.

“With Alec and Kevin, we have a good two-man combo,” Orris said. “The

rest of the players know their role and tonight, they filled in the way

we needed to.”

Verbum Dei (2-4) tried to shoot the Sea Kings out of the Sonora High

gym early in the first quarter, outscoring CdM, 10-2 in the first two

minutes. After a Sea Kings’ timeout, they recovered and crept back into

the game, trailing only 14-10 after one quarter.

“We really had to keep our composure out there early,” Orris said.

A more patient CdM squad, after shooting 4 for 16 from the field in

the first quarter, settled down and shot 6 for 9 from the field in the

second quarter, while holding the Eagles to only 3 for 10, tying the game

at 23-23 at halftime.

Jamal Dean led the Eagles with 13 points, but was held scoreless in

the fourth quarter.

An 8-2 run to start the third quarter put CdM up, 31-25, before the Eagles managed to put together an 8-2 run of their own to tie the game at

33-33.

But the key was the first three minutes of the fourth quarter. With

CdM up, 35-34, Hanson and Hansen combined to score nine straight points,

while the Sea Kings’ defense shut down the Eagles shooting (0 for 9 in

that span).

A three-pointer by Hanson with 1:54 iced the game for the Sea Kings

and Orris’ 200th win.

“To get this far, you need to have some players and I’ve been

fortunate to coach some real good ones throughout the years,” Orris said.

“I’m a very grateful man, right now.”

The win was the second in a row for the Sea Kings in the Sonora

Tournament. They knocked off La Mirada, 53-37, in the first round.

“We just try to get better each day,” Orris said. “The past couple of

games, I felt like we weren’t going in the right direction, but I thought

we made some nice strides tonight.”

CdM will take on Warren High tonight at 7:30 in the semifinals at

Sonora High.

SONORA TOURNAMENT

Second round

Corona del Mar 50, Verbum Dei 39

Corona del Mar 10 13 12 15 - 50

Verbum Dei 14 9 11 5 - 39

CdM - Snell 3, Hietbrink 4, Templeton 5, Hanson 9, Hansen 29, Dorian

0, Patterson 0.

3 pt. goals - Hanson 1, Hansen 1.

Fouled out - none.

Verbum Dei - Lay 5, Watkins 8, Adams 8, Huff 3, Dean 13, Cunningham 2.

3 pt. goals - Lay 1, Watkins 1, Dean 2.

Fouled out - none.