Boys basketball: Tars halfway home

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - The Newport Harbor High boys basketball team is the

first Newport-Mesa squad to reach the midway point of its league

schedule. And, unlike three local squads battling in the Pacific Coast

League, the Sailors have played their way into the position they coveted

when the league schedule began.

The Tars (16-5, 4-0 in league), ranked No. 8 in Orange County and No.

9 in CIF Southern Section Division II-AA, completed a perfect four-game

first round by edging visiting Woodbridge, 55-54, in overtime Friday

night.

And while Coach Larry Hirst was quick to emphasize that four games,

including a potentially huge regular-season finale Feb. 8 at Woodbridge,

separate the program from its first league title since 1990, the Sailors

are enjoying a well-deserved day off today.

A Sea View bye Wednesday is the primary reason for no scheduled

workout today, but after having to expend supreme effort to hold off the

fired-up Warriors Friday, a break in the schedule could not have come at

a better time.

“This was about who wanted it more,” Newport Harbor senior Tony Melum

said after ending Woodbridge’s 16-game Sea View winning streak.

The Sailors begin the task of protecting their one-game lead over

Woodbridge (13-7, 3-1) by hosting Aliso Niguel Friday at 7 p.m.

The Wolverines, who dropped a 61-60 squeaker at home Jan. 9, were

among three Sea View squads to take the Sailors to the wire in the first

round, so complacency should not be an issue.

The home-court advantage, however, favors Newport, which also gets

Laguna Hills, a 43-40 victim on senior guard Greg Perrine’s three-pointer

with one second left, at home this time around.

Before heading to Woodbridge, the Sailors’ only Sea View road date

comes Jan. 30 at Irvine. The Tars, however, hammered the Vaqueros, 87-47,

in the first round and Coach Mark Decker’s squad has yet to win a league

game.

At least the Sailors will not be distracted by nonleague games, having

exhausted that portion of their schedule.

The first round of Pacific Coast League play concludes Wednesday, but,

already, local squads from Estancia, Costa Mesa and Corona del Mar, face

uphill battles to capture one of the league’s three guaranteed berths in

the CIF playoffs.

Estancia (11-9, 2-2 in league) is tied for third with Laguna Beach,

heading into games this week at second-place University (Wednesday) and

home against first-place Northwood (Friday).

Coach Chris Sorce’s Eagles surprised crosstown rival Costa Mesa with a

67-57 home win Wednesday, but stumbled Friday at Laguna Beach, 65-48.

“It was fun to be on campus Thursday (after beating Mesa),” Sorce

said. “We had a great crowd (on game night), there was a lot of

electricity in the air and we had a lot of fun.”

Despite the split last week, Sorce is encouraged by the emergence of

6-foot-3 freshman Carlos Pinto (a career-high 13 points against Mesa) and

the return of 6-3 junior Lewis Bradshaw (10 points off the bench against

Laguna Beach).

“Those two guys really help our depth on the front line, to go with

Joey Lindquist (a 6-7 junior who posted 22 points and 12 boards against

Mesa),” Sorce said.

Costa Mesa (12-8, 1-3) rebounded from an 0-3 league start to top CdM

Friday, 49-39, but Coach Bob Serven has altered his goal of competing for

a second straight league crown.

“There is time left, but we have very little margin for error,” Serven

said. “We play four of our six league games at home, but, to be honest, I

think the league championship is out of the picture. I don’t see

Northwood losing three games, so, realistically, we’re trying for second

place. I think that would require us to win every (league) game we have

left.”

Shooting woes have plagued the Mustangs in their first four league

games, but the emergence of 6-3 senior Jason Millward has been a big

plus.

Millward scored 36 points the first 15 games (2.4 per game), but has

produced 45 points the last five games (9 ppg), including a career-high

15 against CdM.

“Jason has been our most improved player the last three weeks,” Serven

said.

Mesa hosts Laguna Beach Wednesday and University Friday.

CdM (4-17, 0-4) is on the road this week, at Northwood Wednesday and

at Laguna Beach Friday.

Coach Ryan Curry’s Sea Kings were without 6-3 sophomore guard Pancho

Seaborn last week, due to a sprained ankle. It is not known when Seaborn

(13.4 ppg) will return.

Sage Hill continues its inaugural varsity season with Academy League

road dates against Brethren Christian (Tuesday) and Calvary Chapel of

Downey (Friday).