Boys basketball: CdM falls to Uni

Tony Altobelli

IRVINE - Hot shooting from host University High, combined with poor

defensive rotation equaled a 76-65 Pacific Coast League loss for Corona

del Mar’s boys basketball team.

“They really shot the ball well late,” a dejected Coach Paul Orris said

afterward. “They got a bunch of open looks at the basket and when they

got hot, they were deadly.”

The Trojans were especially deadly in the fourth quarter, scoring 30 of

their 76 points, while holding the Sea Kings, ranked No. 5 in CIF

Southern Section Division 3-AA, to only 15.

Once again, it was the duo of Alec Hanson and Kevin Hansen, leading the

way offensively.

Hanson led the Sea Kings (13-6, 1-2 in league) with 22 points, five

assists and five steals, while Hanson added 21 points and seven rebounds.

Balancing out CdM’s high scorers for University (13-7, 2-1) were Mike

Dale with 21 points and Andy Lawrence with 20 points.

“They have three or four guys that can really shoot the ball,” Orris

said. “We tried to make adjustments, but it’s not that easy with so many

good shooters to defend.”

University jumped out to an early lead before the Sea Kings, led by

Hanson’s six points, pulled even after the first quarter.

Uni jumped out to a five-point lead, using its height advantage to

control the boards.

CdM adjusted and went on a 13-0 run to swing the momentum back over to

the visitors. Hanson had 14 first-half points, while Hansen added 11.

But, before CdM could blow the game open, Uni went on a 9-3 run to close

out the first half cutting the lead to only two. Sharif Elsherbiny scored

five of his eight points in that final three-minute stretch.

Dale started off hot in the third quarter for Uni hitting two early

three-pointers, giving the lead back to the Trojans.

But five straight points by Hanson started a 13-5 Sea Kings run, giving

CdM a 50-46 lead after three.

The lead changed hands five times in the fourth quarter as neither team

could break free.

Hansen and Joel Templeton were a combined 6 for 6 from the free-throw

line to keep CdM close.

But, with 3:20 remaining and Orris hollering for his team to remained

poised, the Trojans outscored the Sea Kings, 14-3, including 9 for 10

shooting from the charity stripe.

In fact, the patient, meticulous offense that CdM is used to running,

fell apart down the stretch, leaving Orris searching for the right

answers.

“Just too many mistakes late in the game,” Orris said. “This league is

too tough to do that.”

University hit 8 of 13 shots in the fourth quarter, while CdM was only 3

for 12 from the field, including only one basket in the final four

minutes.

It was the long bombs of the Trojans that did in Corona del Mar, hitting

five treys in the fourth quarter and 10 for the game.

Lawrence’s fourth three-pointer of the game with 2:30 left seemed to take

the wind out of the Sea Kings’ sails.

“They got on a serious roll late in the game,” Orris said. “We kept

making the same mistakes defensively and that’s not going to cut it in a

game like this.”

With the high scorers nearly evening each other out, it was the roll

players that stepped it up for the Trojans. Ryan Zinchefsky, Danny Tran

and Elsherbiny each scored eight points.

CdM senior Judd Hietbrink had eight points before fouling out, while

Templeton added six.

“They were able to plant their feet and get some great chances to score,”

Orris said. “They’re too good of a shooting team to allow that.”

With the loss, Corona del Mar trails the Trojans, Costa Mesa and Laguna

Beach by one game in the loss column, which makes Friday’s clash with the

Mustangs even more critical.

The Mustangs-Sea Kings showdown will take place at CdM, beginning at 7:30

p.m.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

University 76, Corona del Mar 65

Corona del Mar 16 17 17 15 - 65

University 16 15 15 30 - 76

Corona del Mar - Hanson 22, Hansen 21, Hietbrink 8, Templeton 6, Snell 4,

Shahangian 2, Patterson 2.

3 pt. goals - Hanson 3.

Fouled out - Hietbrink.

University - Dale 21, Lawrence 20, Zinchefsky 8, Tran 9, Elsherbiny 8,

Christoph 5, Feistel 3, Garey 3.

3 pt. goals - Lawrence 4, Dale 3, Christoph 1, Garey 1, Feistel 1.

Fouled out - Tran.