Boys basketball: End game(s)

Barry Faulkner

Newport Harbor High boys basketball coach Larry Hirst said his

players talked a lot about Woodbridge in the offseason, gleaning

motivation from the knowledge that the Warriors stood between them and

the school’s first Sea View League title in a dozen years.

But when the Sailors (18-6, 6-1 in league), ranked No. 7 in CIF

Southern Section II-AA, visit Woodbridge Wednesday night in a league

championship showdown, words will mean nothing.

The Woodbridge game, which tips off at 7, is much more meaningful in

the aftermath of Newport’s surprising 49-45 loss to visiting Laguna Hills

Friday night, when a Harbor victory could have clinched at least a share

of the Sea View crown.

The Sailors can clinch the outright Sea View championship with a

victory over the Warriors (16-8, 5-1), whom they defeated, 59-57, in a

dramatic overtime confrontation at Newport Jan. 18.

But a loss, as well as a Woodbridge victory Friday at 3-19 Aliso

Niguel, would force the Sailors, idle Friday, to settle for their fifth

straight runner-up finish in league.

“It would have liked to have gone into the Woodbridge game with a

no-lose situation (a loss meaning at least a co-championship),” Hirst

said after Friday’s setback, which snapped a seven-game winning streak.

Now, the Sailors face a can’t-lose situation if they are to collect

their first league title since 1990.

Recent history does not favor the Sailors, who are 2-3 against

Woodbridge over the last three seasons, with both victories coming at

home, both in overtime.

Further, since Hirst took the helm seven years ago, Harbor’s six

league wins over Woodbridge have come by a total of 14 points, an average

of just more than two. Meanwhile, Woodbridge’s seven wins over Newport

during the same span have come by an average of 15.3 points.

The Warriors played the first Newport game without scoring leader

Patrick Hadden a senior returning first-team all-league point guard

averaging 16.5 points.

Hadden has remained sidelined with a badly sprained ankle and

Woodbridge Coach John Halagan said Wednesday he would most likely not

play this week.

In the Pacific Coast League, Northwood, led by former Estancia High

and Orange Coast College coach Tim O’Brien, has locked up at least a

share of the title in only its second varsity season.

Costa Mesa and Estancia, however, have plenty to play for in the final

week, which features doubleheaders Tuesday and Thursday with the varsity

girls.

The Mustangs (16-9, 4-4) can wrap up at least third place, and a

guaranteed CIF playoff berth, with wins over Corona del Mar (Tuesday at

home at 5:15 p.m.) and Laguna Beach (a road date Thursday at 5:15). The

Mustangs defeated both in the first round of league.

A pair of wins would also tie the school’s single-season victory

record, established in 1965-66.

“We’re playing well right now and if there’s a time to be playing your

best basketball, this is it,” said third-year Mustangs coach Bob Serven,

whose first two Mesa teams each won 17 games.

“It all started with the second half of the Uni game (in which they

erased a 26-point halftime deficit en route to an overtime win Jan. 25).

Since then, we’ve played Northwood tough (a 66-56 loss Wednesday), beaten

Estancia (72-48, Friday to claim the perpetual Bell Trophy) and beaten

Servite (69-53 Saturday in the Nike Extravaganza).”

The defending PCL co-champions have made their recent surge without

6-foot-3 senior center Jason Millward, who injured his left knee Jan. 23

against Laguna Beach and will miss the remainder of the season.

Last week, Serven summoned 6-6 sophomore Marco Stankovic from the

junior varsity to back up 6-1 senior Carlos Jaime in the post.

“He has been a real pleasant surprise,” Serven said of Stankovic, who

scored his first four varsity points against Servite. “He’s going to be a

player by the time he’s done here.”

With two wins and a pair of University losses, Mesa could earn a share

of second place. Uni hosts Northwood Tuesday, then visits Estancia

Thursday.

Estancia (12-12, 3-5), which hosts Laguna Beach Tuesday at 7 p.m.,

enters the final week a game out of third place. If the Eagles can close

that one-game gap and tie Mesa for third place, a one-game playoff would

be required to determine the league’s third-place playoff representative.

Otherwise, the Eagles will need at at-large bid to return to the

playoffs after a one-year absence.

Sage Hill (7-8, 4-4) enters the final week of the Academy League

season headed for a third-place showdown Thursday at 7:30 p.m. with

visiting Brethren Christian. The Lightning plays tonight at Oxford

Academy.

After visiting Mesa Tuesday, CdM (5-20, 1-7) closes out its season

Thursday at home against Northwood at 5:15.