Boys basketball: Tars get the roll

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - Even though the crowd witnessing the first-place

Sea View League boys basketball showdown between Woodbridge High and host

Newport Harbor spilled into the gym’s east loft, there were times when

the place got so quiet, you could almost hear the ball roll.

And roll it did, on two crucial Woodbridge free throws, as well as a

would-be game-winning putback as the overtime buzzer sounded. But all

three times, the ball, after seemingly hesitating for seconds, rotated

off the lip of the rim, allowing the Sailors to claim a 55-54 overtime

win.

The victory, which Coach Larry Hirst called among his top three in

seven seasons at the Sailors’ helm, gives the Tars (16-5, 4-0 in league)

sole possession of first place. It also puts them in position, with just

four league games remaining, to gain what would be the school’s first

league title since it shared the Sea View crown in 1990.

Both teams, and their fans, shared ebbing emotions, as the contest

featured 10 ties and 10 lead changes.

“Was that some high school basketball game or what?,” asked spent

Woodbridge Coach John Halagan, who had beaten Newport three straight

times after sustaining a 59-57 overtime setback, also at Harbor, the

first round of league in 2000.

The highest drama came with the ball thrice nestled atop the

Woodbridge goal in the final minutes of regulation and overtime.

The initial “Tar teaser” came on the first of two Sandeep Hingorani

foul shots with 17 seconds left and the hosts leading, 48-47.

The ball appeared to bound onto the rim, kiss off the backboard, and

careen around the side of the rim, before falling off the front to what

seemed to be a collective groan from fans for both teams.

After a Newport timeout, the second free throw also misfired and

Harbor junior guard Chase Cameron collected the rebound and was

immediately fouled.

Cameron made the first of two double-bonus free throws to make it

49-47, but Woodbridge’s Mike Moeller was fouled on the ensuing possession

while attempting a three-pointer.

Moeller missed the first free throw. He came closer on the second, but

it also lipped off the rim, preserving the Harbor lead. He appeared to

miss the third intentionally and the ploy worked, as Hingorani was fouled

in a mad scramble for the rebound with one second left.

This time, the senior guard made both to send the game into overtime.

A Cole Edmondson free throw gave Woodbridge (13-7, 3-1), ranked two

spots ahead of Newport Harbor in the Orange County poll at No. 6, a 50-49

edge.

Newport got the ball back on a turnover after 6-10 Warrior center Dave

Burgess rebounded the second miss.

Newport senior Erik Peterson cashed it in, with a 10-foot baseline jumper from just behind the board and senior teammate Tony Melum made two

free throws with 2:41 left in overtime for a 53-50 lead.

Woodbridge’s Mike Nicholl, starting for first-team All-Sea View

returner and team scoring leader Patrick Hadden, a senior who did not

play with a sprained ankle, made a layup to cut into the lead with 2:32

left.

After both teams traded possessions, Cameron, who made a decisive shot

late in a one-point league-opening win over Aliso Niguel Jan. 9, netted a

15-footer from the left baseline to make it 55-52 hosts with 1:20 left.

A Moeller layup 15 seconds later put the Warriors within a bucket of

the lead, which was all they needed after Harbor missed an awkward runner

and the Warriors snatched the rebound with 25 ticks left.

After a timeout, the Warriors were forced to rush up an outside shot,

which missed badly as time wound down. Moeller wound up with the rebound

next to the basket and quickly put up a follow shot. But the would-be

game-winner rolled over the rim and fell harmlessly to the floor as the

buzzer sounded, setting off a wild celebration by the Harbor players.

“Maybe that was the ghost of Ralph Reed (the school’s first basketball

coach for whom the gym is named),” Hirst quipped of the three fortuitous

rolls off the rim.

All the breaks did not go the Sailors’ way as they were forced to play

the final 6:43 of the first half without Melum due to foul trouble.

Nedim Pajevic, a 6-foot-8 junior, also missed several minutes, before

fouling out with 1:39 left in regulation.

“The bottom line for us surviving tonight was our guys were willing to

sacrifice their bodies,” Hirst said. “It seemed like there were five or

six times during the last three minutes of regulation, and three or four

more in overtime, when our guys just laid out or dived for the ball,

trying to get a fingertip on it. Those extra one or two possessions could

have been the difference.”

Melum also made a difference, scoring 11 of his game-high 22 points in

the fourth quarter to help Harbor erase a 39-33 deficit after three

periods.

Senior Greg Perrine scored 16 points and added six rebounds, while

Pajevic had nine points and five boards.

“I thought Nedim and (6-8 sophomore Jaime Diefenbach) did a good job

defending Burgess (nine points and 17 rebounds),” Hirst said.

“This one didn’t mean anything, because it didn’t clinch a

championship,” Hirst said. “But it puts us a step closer to that.”

Halagan, whose team had won 16 straight league games coming in, said

his team could not have given more.

“I’ve been doing this for 18 years and I’ve never been more proud of

my kids,” Halagan said. “It’s a cliche, but it’s too bad someone had to

walk away with a loss in this one.”

Nicholl led Woodbridge, which did not make a three-pointer, with 11

points.

BOYS

SEA VIEW LEAGUE

Newport Harbor 55, Woodbridge 54 (OT)

Score by Periods

Woodbridge 10 10 19 10 5 - 54

Newport Harbor 15 6 12 16 6 - 55

Woodbridge - Boldig 4, Edmondson 3, Burgess 9, Nicholl 11, Hingorani

8, Moeller 8, Barlow 6, Winder 3, Nyberg 2.

3-pt. goals - none.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.

Newport Harbor - Melum 22, Peterson 2, Pajevic 9, Perrine 16, Cameron

6, Diefenbach 0, Pinesett 0, Rorden 0, Boyd 0.

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

Fouled out - Pajevic.

Technicals - none.