Boys basketball: Newport suffers Alaska heartbreak, 66-65

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA - The Newport Harbor High boys basketball team

will settle for a third-place game in the Anchorage Tournament after

losing a nail-biter, 66-65, to Lathrop in the semifinals of the tourney

in Alaska Friday.

The Sailors (11-5) were led by senior Tony Melum, who scored a

game-high 28 points. However, Lathrop (9-1) hit a three-pointer with two

seconds left to grab the final lead of the game.

Newport will play for third place tonight. Sailors senior point guard

Greg Perrine contributed 17 points, while senior Erik Peterson knocked

down two three-pointers and finished with eight points.

Coach Larry Hirst’s Sailors reeled off a 72-32 win over Yakutat in the

first round Thursday night, as Melum led with a game-high 23 points and

Perrine added 10.

“We didn’t come ready to play (against Lathrop),” Hirst said by

telephone. “We came back and had the lead, but we didn’t close the door.”

Hirst also said the team has been making the most of the trip to

Alaska. The Sailors went dog mushing Thursday and are planning to see ice

glaciers today.

“They have been treating us great here,” Hirst said.

ANCHORAGE TOURNAMENT

Semifinal

Newport Harbor 16 15 16 18 - 65

Lathrop 20 14 16 16 - 66

Newport Harbor - Perrine 17, Peterson 8, Diefenbach 5, Melum 28,

Pajevik 6, Pinesett 1, Rorden 0.

3-pt. goals - Peterson 2, Perrine 1, Melum 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.

Lathrop - Bourne 15, Shaver 26, Robinson 17, Calbert 4, Reeves 2, Wade

2.

3-pt. goals - Shaver 2, Robinson 3.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.