Wake-up call

Joseph Boo

ORANGE - Imagine the shock Newport Harbor High’s boys basketball

team must have felt when host El Modena, 1-10 entering the game, hit its

first five shots to take an 11-3 lead in Thursday’s nonleague game.

Newport Coach Larry Hirst was not amused, pulling his starters off the

floor just two minutes into the game. The players got the message when

they came back, swamping the Vanguards in an 84-56 blowout

“They weren’t going to play,” Hirst said about his starters. “They were

not doing what we asked them to do. They rested on their laurels, and it

showed in the first period. That’s not acceptable.”

The Newport starting five of Dustin Illingworth, Aaron Yarnal, Justin

Reynolds, Greg Perrine and Sean Rorden came back in the second quarter

down by 11, and they responded by outscoring El Modena, 21-10.

Illingworth was the catalyst in Newport’s turnaround, scoring all nine of

his first half points in the second quarter, along with five rebounds. He

ended up with 15 points for the game.

El Modena (1-11) still led until the final second in the half, then

Yarnal was inexplicably fouled on a desperation three-point attempt. He

hit two-of-three free throws to tie the game at halftime, 33-33.

Then the roof, the walls, and the entire foundation caved in on El Modena

in the third quarter. The Sailors outscored the Vanguards, 31-4,

including a 22-0 run at the end of the quarter. Yarnal, who only played

16 minutes in the game, scored 12 points in the third, and led all

scorers with 16. The Sailors turned every missed shot and turnovers into

fast break points during the run.

“We just finally started to play defense,” Hirst said. “We’re really

happy with the way we responded, and it all starts with defense.”

After the third quarter, the starters gave way again to the bench. But

this time, they earned the right to sit down and rest.

NONLEAGUE

Newport Harbor 84, El Modena 56

Newport Harbor 12 21 31 20 - 84

El Modena 23 10 4 19 - 56

Newport Harbor - Yarnal 16, Illingworth 15, Perrine 12, Rorden 5,

Reynolds 4, Melum 14, Murray 0, Spigner 4, Knutti 9, Martin 0, Cook 3,

Ready 0, Staudenmann 2, Redoutey 0.

3 pt goals - Yarnal 2, Cook 1, Perrine 1, Knutti 1.

Fouled Out - None.

Technicals - None.

El Modena - Harris 15, Kyler 15, Cortez 5, Topor 4, Mechling 0, Clark 2,

Christensen 2, Saul 3, Goldman 7, Morris 3.

3 pt. goals - Kyler 2, Saul 1, Cortez 1, Goldman 1.

Fouled Out - Harris.

Technicals - Topor.