Boys basketball: Tars bully Aliso

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - Sometimes, the prudent path to victory is taking

what the defense gives you. But imposing one’s will on an opponent can

certainly be a lot more fun.

The Newport Harbor High boys basketball team proved this point Friday

night, using a supreme physical advantage to overpower visiting Aliso

Niguel, 62-45, to remain unbeaten in the Sea View League.

The Sailors (17-5, 5-0 in league), ranked No. 9 in CIF Southern

Section Division II-AA, pushed through the Wolverines’ packed-in zone

defense to amass 11 second-half layups. Their selective attack helped

pull away from a pesky Aliso squad that took the Tars to the wire in

their first-round meeting Jan. 9.

“We thought we had a little size and strength advantage, so our game

plan was to go inside as much as possible,” Newport Coach Larry Hirst

said.

Powering down deep with entry passes to tall frontliners, as well as

aggressive drives from the guards, Harbor’s short-range game helped it

shoot nearly 62% from the field (16 of 26) after intermission.

Among the five second-half field goals that were not cripples, only

two came from outside 10 feet, a 15-footer by Nedim Pajevic and an Erik

Peterson three-pointer.

In all, the Tars made 16 layups to finish 26 of 56 from the field

(46.4%).

“In the first half, our shots just weren’t falling,” said Hirst, whose

squad led, 10-9, after one period, then used a 12-2 run to rally from a

16-12 deficit, en route to a 25-20 halftime edge.

A one-week layoff, prompted by Wednesday’s league bye, may have had

something to do with the first-half shooting woes.

Leading, 30-25, with 4:39 left in the third, Newport senior point

guard Eric Perrine took over, scoring seven points in 60 seconds on three

layins and a free throw, to widen the lead.

Aliso’s Terrence Green answered with six straight points of his own,

but Harbor, using two crowd-pleasing dunks by 6-foot-6 senior Tony Melum,

made sure there would be no late dramatics this time around.

Melum drew roars from the home rooters by snatching a rebound above

the rim and slamming it in with his right hand for a 43-34 edge with 14

seconds left in the third quarter.

Melum then took an alley-oop pass from Perrine and, with his back to

the basket, flushed it for a reverse dunk just 17 seconds into the final

period.

Perrine finished with a game-high 17 points and added six assists,

five rebounds and three steals, while Melum and Pajevic had 12 points

apiece.

The 6-8 Pajevic, who did not play the first game against Aliso,

blocked three shots in the first period to push the Wolverines (3-18,

1-4) further outside. He also collected a team-high nine rebounds and

made 6 of 7 field-goal attempts.

Chase Cameron chipped in nine points, five rebounds and three assists,

while Peterson finished with eight points.

Green had 16 points off the bench for Aliso, which received 12 points

and 10 rebounds from 6-3 senior forward Ramy Farag.

BOYS

SEA VIEW LEAGUE

Newport Harbor 62, Aliso Niguel 45

Score by Quarters

Aliso Niguel 9 11 17 8 - 45

Newport Harbor 10 15 18 19 - 62

Aliso Niguel - Farag 12, Nematollah 6, Buchert 5, Gardner 2, Karmazyn

2, Green 16, Tejanda 2.

3-pt. goals - Buchert 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.

Newport Harbor - Melum 12, Peterson 8, Pajevic 12, Perrine 17, Cameron

9, Pinesett 4, Diefenbach 0, Boyd 0, Rorden 0, Melgar 0.

3-pt. goals - Perrine 1, Peterson 1, Pinesett 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.