Youth basketball: Newport Mesa NJB fifth-graders win state title

NEWPORT BEACH - The Newport Mesa NJB All-Star fifth-grade team

captured the program’s first fifth-grade state championship, delivering

its own brand of March Madness after two thrilling victories in the state

tournament in Bakersfield March 23.

The Newport-Mesa All-Stars thrived in the underdog role throughout the

tourney, capping it with a 54-50 championship game victory over

previously unbeaten Irvine.

Led by all-state tournament first-team selection Michael Helfrich, the

Newport Mesa All-Stars stunned Irvine, which was led by two 5-foot-11

players, who helped their squad win by an average of 24 points in each

game.

However, Newport Mesa used its quickness to offset Irvine’s size. That

helped Newport Mesa grab a five-point second-half lead, but the Irvine

All-Stars tied the score, 50-50, with 45 seconds left.

Dan Moscovitz and Frank Denour answered the call in crunch-time, as

Moscovitz scored on a short jumper and Denour finished off Irvine with a

runner in the lane to provide the championship and set off a frenzied

celebration by the Newport Mesa All-Stars. Helfrich scored a game-high 19

points.

On defense, Cameron Holmes, Joey Jones and Helfrich provided standout

defense in keeping Irvine’s big men away from the basket.

After battling through 16 lead changes and one overtime, Newport-Mesa

earned an emphatic 51-46 semifinal win over the South Coast All-Star

squad. Helfrich knocked two one-and-one free throws with 10 seconds left

in regulation for a 45-43 lead, but South Coast sent the game into

overtime on a buzzer-beater, put-back.

In overtime, Moscovitz, Denour and J.B. Green made key buckets to lead

Newport-Mesa to another upset victory. Green scored a game-high 17

points.

In the quarterfinals, the fifth-grade NJB team also shocked the host

team, Bakersfield, the No. 1-seeded squad from Central California.

Newport-Mesa pulled off the shocker by dominating the fourth quarter en

route to a 48-38 victory, which came thanks to strong performances by

Denour, Green, Holmes, Brian Yasukochi, Nick Freeman, Troy McClanahan and

Darren Leggett.

Before the stunning win over Bakersfield, Newport-Mesa opened the

state tourney with an easy victory over Visalia, 48-30. Joey Jones,

Helfrich and Moscovitz led the way to the first-round win.

Green and Denour earned all-state tournament second team laurels,

while Jones received honorable mention recognition.

Peter Helfrich and Jamie Holmes coached the Newport-Mesa NJB

All-Stars, who qualified for the state tournament by winning the regional

tourney, after a 56-39 win over a south county all-star team in the

final.