Boys basketball: Tars seek their share

Barry Faulkner

The Newport Harbor High boys basketball team can clinch at least a

share of its first Sea View League championship since 1990 with two

league wins this week. But Sailors Coach Larry Hirst said there is a flip

side to his squad having secured sole possession of first place with two

weeks left in the regular season.

“We’re walking around now with a big bull’s-eye on our backs,” said

Hirst, whose team (15-5, 5-0 in league), ranked No. 6 in Orange County

and No. 9 in CIF Southern Section Division II-AA, visits last-place

Irvine (8-13, 0-5) Wednesday, then hosts third-place Laguna Hills (11-11,

2-2) Friday at 7 p.m.

“I know it would make Irvine’s season to knock off the team leading

the league and we just barely escaped with a win against Laguna Hills in

the first round (a 43-40 victory on a game-winning Greg Perrine

three-pointer with one second left).”

Meanwhile in the Pacific Coast League, Costa Mesa will bid to continue

the momentum it earned Friday with a dramatic 88-85 come-from-behind

overtime upset of second-place University.

Coach Bob Serven’s Mustangs (14-8, 3-3 in the PCL), visit first-place

Northwood (18-3, 6-0) Wednesday, then host crosstown rival Estancia

(11-11, 2-4) Friday.

Estancia, tied with Laguna Beach for fourth place, opens its week on

the road at Corona del Mar (5-18, 1-5) Wednesday.

CdM is coming off its first league victory, a 70-51 romp at Laguna Beach Friday, and figures to get sophomore guard Pancho Seaborn (13.4

points per game) back. He missed the last four games with a sprained

ankle.

“This is the team I’ve been waiting for,” Serven said of his squad

after it erased a 26-point halftime deficit with what he called “the most

unbelievable half of basketball I’ve ever been a part of.”

The fiery veteran coach said his team, which has now won three

straight after an 0-3 league start, simply dug deep when faced with

adversity against the Trojans, who trounced the Mustangs, 82-51, in the

league opener Jan. 9.

“Uni had outscored us, 130-73, in six quarters to that point, and I

pointed out to our kids that the scoreboard (a 48-22 Uni bulge) reflected

exactly what they deserved. I played everyone in the first half, which is

normally not my M.O., but I was trying to find the right group.”

The Mustangs responded by scoring the first 22 points of the third

quarter and outscoring the visitors, 28-4, in the period.

Senior point guard David Conte scored 30 of his game-high 39 points

after intermission and senior teammate Chad Vakili scored 23 of his 29

points after the first two periods to key the comeback.

“Conte and Vakili were awesome in the second half,” Uni Coach Mike

Dinneen said. “They were making everything. We played a great first 12

minutes to earn a 38-12 lead. We traded baskets the last half of the

second quarter and, give Mesa credit, it played a great second half.”

Said Serven, “We pressed a little, but we just played hard and played

good defense (in the second half). Uni had just seven (field goals) after

halftime.”

The victory, following league conquests of CdM and Laguna Beach,

helped the Mustangs, expected to earn one of the league’s three

guaranteed CIF playoff berths before league began, slip back into the

league’s upper division.

“We still have to win all of our home games (Estancia Friday and CdM

Feb. 1) to try and get second place,” Serven said. “But we have the

attitude we want to win every game in the second round.”

Estancia, which surprised Mesa in the first round, 67-57, on the

Eagles’ floor, will need to avoid looking ahead to the crosstown rematch.

“Corona del Mar seems to be getting better every time out and there

are no easy games in this league,” Estancia Coach Chris Sorce said. “It’s

a cliche, but you have to play one game at a time. We won’t mention Costa

Mesa, until Wednesday’s game is over.”

Estancia, which defeated CdM, 62-53, Jan. 11, said his team plans on

shooting for second place, after a 69-45 loss to Northwood Friday.

“I’d just like to have four games where everyone was healthy and no

one was injured or sick,” said Sorce, who has dealt with myriad roster

problems, not including the absence of his best player, senior Micah

Young, who sustained a season-ending torn ACL the second game of the

year.

“I think, offensively, we’ve been doing a pretty good job. But we need

to pick it up defensively, if we’re going to get a few more wins under

our belts.”

CdM unveiled a zone defense and full-court pressure to handle Laguna

Beach Friday and Coach Ryan Curry said the team’s first PCL triumph, also

the first of Curry’s coaching career, may be one the program can build

upon.

“We talked a lot last week about having more defensive presence and

conviction,” Curry said. “We needed to really work hard and try to

contest every shot and block out every person, all those intangibles. And

we had our best defensive effort of the season (at Laguna).

“We tried some new (defensive) looks to help create more offensive

opportunities and, when it started working, it really seemed to pick the

kids up. There was a lot of enthusiasm during that third quarter.”

The Sea Kings outscored the Artists, 24-10, to put the game away in

the third, including 13 points from junior Bret Matsen and a trio of

three-pointers by junior Kevin Mancillas. Mancillas finished with 29

points, while Matsen had a career-high 24.

“I told the kids, something I stole from (Lakers Coach) Phil Jackson,

that they needed to get to the point where they deserved to win,” Curry

said. “If we play hard and play to the best of our abilities, we may not

guarantee we’ll win, but at least we’ll deserve to win. We did that

Friday and we experienced the reward.”

The Sea Kings visit University Friday.

Sage Hill (6-7, 3-3 in the Academy League) will continue its quest for

a guaranteed playoff berth at league rival Capistrano Valley Christian

Tuesday and home against St. Margaret’s Friday.

Coach Gordon McNeill’s Lightning, playing its first varsity season,

solidified its grip on third with a crucial 44-42 home win over Brethren

Christian Tuesday.