Boys basketball: CdM begins CIF run

Barry Faulkner

CORONA DEL MAR - A freshly collected Pacific Coast League title,

the program’s first league crown since 1990, is something the Corona del

Mar High boys basketball team can be amply proud of.

But, when your program has been to the CIF Southern Section championship

game eight times the past 23 seasons, the relative success of every

campaign is judged by what happens after league play concludes.

Coach Paul Orris’ Sea Kings (20-6) begin their own postseason progression

tonight at 7:30 against visiting Northview (13-14) in the second round of

the Division III-AA playoffs.

No. 3-seeded CdM, one of four schools to receive a first-round bye

Wednesday, has lost its playoff opener only twice in 27 previous tries.

Under Orris, now in his 14th season, the Sea Kings are an even more

impressive 9-1 in their initial playoff games, 26-8 in section playoff

contests overall.

CdM, coming off its fourth title-game appearance of the 1990s last

season, is gunning to return to the section showcase game, with All-CIF

returner Kevin Hansen leading the way.

Hansen, a senior Stanford-bound setter who has also played in two section

title matches in volleyball, is averaging 21.1 points and seven rebounds.

Hansen is backed by fellow seniors Alec Hanson (12.2 ppg) and Brooks

Morris (9.8 ppg). A broken left (shooting) wrist sidelined Morris for 13

games, but he returned six games ago and appears to be back in top form.

In the 10 games in which Hansen, Hanson and Morris have all played, CdM

is 8-2, including a four-game winning streak to conclude the regular

season.

Northview, which tied for third in the Valle Vista League, defeated

Cabrillo of Lompoc, 64-55, on the road in Wednesday’s first round. Coach

Ron Rice’s Vikings were eliminated in the quarterfinals in double

overtime last season, by a Nordhoff squad CdM handled in the semifinals.

Northview is paced by 5-foot-11 senior guard Benny Laws, who averages

around 20 points and is reportedly a dangerous outside shooter.

Laws had 20 points against Cabrillo, as did beefy 6-3 frontliner Joseph

Mercado.

Eric Samudio (14 points Wednesday) is another key performer for the

Vikings, who lost to CdM, 55-51, in the first round in 1991 and also fell

to the Sea Kings, 75-65, in the second round in 1990.

Tonight’s winner advances to Tuesday’s quarterfinal against either Verbum

Dei or Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks.