Boys Basketball: Harbor takes UCSD tourney

Steve Virgen

SAN DIEGO - Three tournaments. One loss. One question mark. Such

are the results for the Newport Harbor High boys basketball team, which

has recorded just one loss this summer, winning two out of three

tournaments, including the UC San Diego Tournament.

However, the Sailors’ question mark comes from starting point guard

Greg Perrine, who injured his right knee in a 61-49 semifinal victory

over La Costa Canyon (San Diego) Sunday.

Perrine, who will be a senior this fall, will undergo an MRI tonight

at 7 as it’s possible he may have torn ligaments in his right knee.

Late in the second quarter, Perrine stole the ball and raced out on a

breakaway. As he approached his layup, his right knee buckled and he

fell. Perrine said trainers at the tournament tested his leg for anterior

cruciate ligament strength and normality and he failed.

“I think physically we’ll be able to replace him with one or two

bodies somehow,” Tars Coach Larry Hirst said. “But, it’s just his

leadership and emotion that we can’t replace. He’s such a great kid. I

really hope it’s not as bad as we think it is. Right now we have mixed

emotions. We’ve only lost one game this summer and we were looking

forward to the Palm Springs Tournament. But, now we’re kind of at that

middle ground.”

The loss of Perrine in San Diego resulted as a challenge for

junior-to-be Chase Cameron. And Cameron overcame, helping the Tars to the

tournament title with a 42-39 victory over Mission Viejo Sunday.

“(Cameron) scored and shot the ball really well,” Hirst said. “He was

a very pleasant surprise all weekend.”

The UCSD Tournament, consisting of 56 teams, began Friday as Newport

took down Corona-Riverside, 52-39, and then blew past Sunnyside (Fresno),

45-34.

The Tars remained undefeated with two more victories on Saturday,

besting El Toro, 56-37, then squeaking past Costa del Oro (Tucson,

Ariz.), 53-48, in overtime.

The win over Costa del Oro, put Newport in the quarterfinals where the

Tars defeated Troy, 43-39.

“We were scoring all our points on transition rather than waiting in

the half court set for someone to do something,” said Hirst, who also

noted the Sailors were at their best when their starting five was at

work.

Future seniors Tony Melum and Erik Peterson along with junior to-be

Nedim Pajevic and sophomore to-be Jamie Diefenbach continued to find

rhythm under the direction of Perrine and Cameron.

Aside from scoring responsibilities, Melum focused his strength on

defense.

“I think as the summer develops he’s learning more aspects than

scoring,” Hirst said. “For us to get to the next level he has to be a

part of the defense.”

The Tars will play in the three-day Palm Springs Tournament, which

starts Friday at 3 p.m. against Gig Harbor (Washington).