Boys basketball: Tars clinch second

Barry Faulkner

ALISO VIEJO - Like every male who attends high school, Aaron Yarnal

did not want to be remembered as the reluctant victim of a “wedgie.”

But, fortunately for the Newport Harbor High senior, there was enough

time left in his last regular-season finale to recover after his 16-foot

jumper came to rest wedged between the rim and the backboard with 1:45

left in the Sailors’ Sea View League road game with Aliso Niguel.

With the possession arrow in their favor, the Sailors retained the

ball and Yarnal eventually took a nice pass from junior point guard Greg

Perrine and converted a layin to give the visitors an insurmountable

54-51 lead with 1:17 remaining.

Then, just to be sure his final regular-season act would be one of

heroism, he swished a pair of free throws with six seconds left to

finalize the Tars’ 56-53 triumph.

The victory wrapped up sole possession of second place for the Sailors

(19-6, 5-3 in league), who would have landed in a second-place tie with

the Wolverines (14-12, 3-5), had the outcome been reversed.

The win also allows the Sailors to enter next week’s CIF Southern

Section Division I-A playoffs with some momentum, after having been

buried, 73-55, at home against league champion Woodbridge in their

previous game, Jan. 2.

“It could have been anticlimactic after not winning the league title,

but, hopefully, this will give us some momentum to carry into the

playoffs,” Newport Harbor Coach Larry Hirst said.

Yarnal, who finished with a team-high 18 points, was gratified to help

his team avenge a 53-52 first-round loss to the Wolverines.

“The league season was a little sketchy this year,” Yarnal said. “We

came into league (14-3) on pace to set the school (single-season) record

for wins, but we stumbled a little.”

Aliso Niguel appeared quite willing and able to trip up the Tars once

again, but Newport kept answering, as the teams battled through six lead

changes and seven ties.

Aliso seized leads of 4-0 and and 8-5, before Yarnal scored seven

points in a span of 1:54 and junior center Tony Melum scored on a follow

shot to give the visitors a 17-16 lead at the end of one.

Brandon Sievers, who led all scorers with 25 points, drained a

three-pointer with 11 seconds left in the half to forge a 27-27 tie, but

Perrine connected on a 19-foot buzzer-beater to give the Tars a two-point

halftime edge.

Yarnal opened the second half with a three-pointer and teammate Steve

Young answered an Aliso bucket with a three ball of his own to pad the

lead.

But an 8-2 Aliso run tied it at 37, before a Chase Cameron layup and

another last-second basket by Perrine put the Tars in front, 41-37,

heading into the final eight minutes.

The two teams were tied at 41, 43, 45 and 48, before Erik Peterson

sealed off his man inside and Nadim Pajevic fed him from the high post

for a layup with 4:55 left.

Melum converted a steal with a two-handed slam dunk to double the

lead, but Sievers hit a three-pointer with 3:20 left to keep the spirited

home crowd in it.

Aliso had a chance to take the lead with 2:01 remaining, but misfired

on two foul shots.

Young pulled down the rebound to set up the aforementioned wedgie

stoppage. After the dead ball and before Yarnal’s layup, Melum and

Pajevic snatched offensive rebounds to eat the clock and eat away at the

Wolverine’s defensive energy.

Yarnal cashed in, then stepped up at the defensive end.

Matched up against Zach Zanolli, who paced the Wolverines with 17

points in the first meeting, Yarnal blanketed the senior guard as he

pulled up his dribble beyond the three-point line on the left wing.

Zanolli, who had already scored seven fourth-quarter points, jumped to

attempt a shot, but, with Yarnal directly in his path, tried to bring the

ball down and was called for a double-dribble.

After a timeout, Newport was called for a backcourt violation on the

ensuing inbound pass and Sievers was fouled while attempting a

three-pointer with eight seconds left.

But he made only two of the his three free throws, then, after Yarnal

clutched up at the line, he was too strong on an off-balance

three-pointer from the right corner as time expired.

Melum finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Perrine had 11

points and three assists.

SEA VIEW LEAGUE

Newport Harbor 56, Aliso Niguel 53

Score by Quarters

Newport Harbor 17 12 12 15 - 56

Aliso Niguel 16 11 10 16 - 53

Newport Harbor - Yarnal 18, Melum 13, Perrine 11, Peterson 4, Young 4,

Pajevic 4, Cameron 2, Diefenbach 0.

3-pt. goals - Yarnal 2, Melum 2, Young 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.

Aliso Niguel - Sievers 25, Zanolli 13, Lamela 5, Alconcel 4, Buchert

4, Ebel 2.

3-pt. goals - Sievers 3, Zanolli 1, Lamela 1.

Fouled out - Alconcel.

Technicals - none.