Sailors capture crown

The Newport Harbor High boys basketball team worked overtime in

half of its four victories en route to capturing the championship of

the three-day, 16-team Palm Springs Tournament, completed Sunday at

Palm Springs High.

The Sailors, who won a pair of overtime games Saturday to advance

to Sunday’s championship game, defeated Vista High from San Diego to

earn their first tournament title of the summer.

Nedim Pajevic, a 6-foot-8 forward who will be a senior, was named

Most Valuable Player of the tournament, after averaging 14.3 points

in four games, including a team-high 18 in the title game.

Point guard Chase Cameron, who will also be a senior, earned

all-tournament honors for his excellent floor leadership and defense,

according to Newport Harbor assistant coach Bryan Cottriel, who

filled in for Coach Larry Hirst the final day of the tournament.

Cottriel said the Sailors owned the lead for virtually all of the

title contest.

As he had been in three previous tournament wins, Pajevic was

consistent offensively for the Sailors, who also received strong play

inside from 6-8 junior-to-be Jamie Diefenbach. Diefenbach scored 10

of his 12 points in the first half to help the Tars establish

control.

Cottriel said Vista was paced by a talented inside player, who

finished the first half with 19 points.

With Pajevic and Diefenbach, as well as future senior Nick

Glassic, clamping down defensively, the Vista standout scored just

seven points in the second half, before fouling out late in the

fourth quarter by charging into Diefenbach on a drive.

“That was a pretty big play for us and a bummer for them,”

Cottriel said of the charging foul on which the Vista star fouled

out.

The Sailors opened the tournament with a commanding victory over

host Palm Springs, before battling Hesperia in the first of two

overtime thrillers Saturday.

“(Hesperia) had some big guys who did some good things inside and

Nedim got in early foul trouble,” Cottriel said. “One of their guys

hit a three-pointer with about seven seconds left to tie it and send

it into overtime.”

Cottriel said the Sailors dominated in the extra period and won by

about seven points. Cottriel said Chad Rorden, who will be a senior

guard, was yet another standout. Cottriel said Rorden scored 30

combined points in the first two games to carry the backcourt scoring

load.

The, who lost in the title game of last year’s Palm Springs

Tournament, will venture to San Diego for a 64-team tournament held

at UC San Diego, beginning Friday.