Boys baskteball: Sailors heavily equipped

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - Most people replace their cars more frequently than

Newport Harbor High boys basketball coach Larry Hirst goes through point

guards.

So, entering his seventh season at the Sailors’ helm, Hirst counted on

handing the keys to senior Greg Perrine, who was to be finishing a

three-year stint at the wheel of an on-court machine Matt Jameson drove

for four seasons before heading off to Miami of Ohio.

But when Perrine blew out an ACL late in the summer schedule, Hirst

was left scrambling for a spare, as well as with questions about just how

much mileage he could get out of a tall, talented and deceptively

experienced cast that helped produce a 21-7 mark last year.

“As happy and complacent as we were most of the summer, (Perrine’s

injury, which may cost him the entire season) totally flip-flopped

things,” said Hirst, whose teams have gone to the playoffs a

school-record five straight seasons and averaged just more than 20 wins

over the last four.

“Since Greg got hurt, we had to spend all fall going through what we

did a year ago -- the growing pains of everyone learning how to play with

one another.”

Despite the devastating loss of Perrine, a second-team All-Sea View

League performer last year who still has a chance to return to the court

later this season, Hirst has a team most coaches would hastily trade

theirs in for.

Tony Melum, a 6-foot-6 senior who was first-team All-CIF Southern

Section Division I last year, after averaging 18.5 points and 9.9

rebounds, will lead the way.

A gifted offensive player who, at times, carried the Sailors last

season (e.g. 32 points and 17 rebounds in 72-69 overtime win over Pacific

in the second round of the CIF Division I-A playoffs), Hirst believes

Melum will need to make those around him better for the Sailors to reach

their ultimate postseason destination.

Melum is being recruited by several West Coast Conference and Ivy

League programs, according to Hirst, and there are few players in Orange

County with more raw talent.

Though Melum plays above the rim, the presence of 6-8 junior Nedim

Pajevic and 6-8 sophomore Jamie Diefenbach could free him up to face the

basket more this season.

“Depending on what lineup we’re using, (Melum) could play anywhere

from a two guard to the post,” Hirst said.

Erik Peterson, a 6-3 senior, is a returning starter who averaged 6.8

points per game last season. Hirst expects more on the offensive end this

year from his defensive stopper.

“Erik does all the little things well, all the intangibles,” Hirst

said.

Junior guard Chase Cameron is another nonsenior who picked up plenty

of varsity seasoning last year playing behind Newport-Mesa District

Player of the Year Aaron Yarnal. Hirst said Cameron is projected to start

in the backcourt alongside sophomore point guard Andre Pinesett.

Pinesett, who played last season on the Mater Dei freshman team, is a

playmaker whom Hirst terms “a very good shooter for a sophomore.”

Pajevic (2.6 ppg last year), earned a few starts as a sophomore and

his continued development may eventually land him a college scholarship,

said Hirst, who praised his midrange shooting ability.

Diefenbach will likely come off the bench and could help lead Hirst, a

man-to-man disciple, to experiment more heavily with zone defenses.

Drew Melgar, a 6-0 senior up from the junior varsity, will also

spearhead a bench that will eventually include seniors Jon Vandersloot,

Jim Rothwell and Lu Castillo, who are currently helping the football team

make a run at a CIF title.

Hirst said senior Ben Boyd and juniors Chad Rorden and Nic Glassic

should also provide depth, while seniors Collin Tully, Dane Lovier and

Ross Fortier round out the 17-man roster.

A beefed-up schedule that includes an early January trip to Alaska,

will help prepare the Tars for another postseason run. But it could

hinder their quest for another 20-win season.

“The success of our season will be determined more by whether we win

league and by how far we go in CIF, as opposed to a win-loss record,”

said Hirst, who considers defending champion Woodbridge the team to beat

in the Sea View League.

The Tars open Tuesday, hosting Huntington Beach at 7 p.m.

Newport Harbor boys roster

3 Jon Vandersloot 6-3 Sr.

4 Drew Melgar 6-0 Sr.

5 Lu Castillo 5-11 Sr.

10 Chase Cameron 6-0 Jr.

11 Greg Perrine 6-1 Sr.

12 Erik Peterson 6-3 Sr.

14 Collin Tully 6-1 Sr.

15 Chad Rorden 6-1 Jr.

23 Jim Rothwell 5-10 Sr.

24 Dane Lovier 6-2 Sr.

25 Ross Fortier 5-10 Sr.

33 Nedim Pajevic 6-8 Jr.

34 Andre Pinesett 6-0 So.

40 Nic Glassic 6-7 Jr.

42 Ben Boyd 6-6 Sr.

44 Tony Melum 6-6 Sr.

50 Jamie Diefenbach 6-8 So.

Coach: Larry Hirst