Pajevic sparkles
Richard Dunn
Realizing the load, or burden, he might have to bear underneath for
the South, Newport Harbor High’s 6-foot-9 Nedim Pajevic came equipped
Saturday night in the Orange County All-Star boys basketball game at
Orange Coast College.
Facing the heavily favored North, the Newport Harbor standout and
second-team All-CIF Southern Section Division II-AA selection figured
he’d enjoy an evening of rebounding, which he listed in the program
as his favorite thing to do on the hardwood.
“That’s my favorite, rebounding,” Pajevic said. “I don’t care much
about scoring. I was trying to break the rebounding record here.”
While the North cruised to an easy 93-80 victory, winning the game
for the fourth straight year, an argument could be made for Pajevic
earning team MVP honors on the South, scoring 12 points, grabbing
nine rebounds and adding one block and one steal. [Pajevic came up a
tad short in his quest. The game’s rebounding record is 20, held by
Santa Ana’s Herman Brown in 1979 and La Quinta’s Johnny Rogers in
1981.]
“I think they had the height and athleticism,” South Coach Todd
Dixon of El Toro said of the North, which featured Mater Dei players
Harrison Schaen and Wesley Washington, along with Villa Park’s 6-9
Sean Phaler and Brea Olinda’s 6-7 Evan Moore, who was voted game MVP
after scoring 28 points.
“The only guy we had to match that is Nedim. He’s got a great
future in front of him if he plays hard. I guess it’s been good
coaching by Coach (Larry) Hirst (of Newport Harbor).”
Pajevic teamed with his former teammate and classmate underneath
for the South All-Stars -- Capistrano Valley’s 6-8 George
Fedorovtsev, who played three years at Newport Harbor on the lower
levels, then transferred to Capo Valley after his parents moved to
South County.
Fedorovtsev, who will likely play at Irvine Valley College next
season, led the South with 13 points, while adding four offensive
rebounds and three blocked shots (all in one series) and a steal.
Pajevic made the game’s first three-pointer, hitting a long-range
jumper with 15:07 to play in the first half, giving the South an 11-7
and forcing the North to call timeout.
“It can be tricky,” Pajevic said, “because they look at me and
it’s an advantage if they don’t think I’m going to shoot. I had an
opportunity and just thought I’d try it.”
Pajevic, who didn’t attempt another three-pointer, sank 4 of 6
from the field in the second half, mostly on left-handers runners in
the key.
El Toro’s Patrick Carney and Northwood’s Drew Terry also scored 12
points each for the South, while Sunny Hills’ Tony Gonzalez (15
points) and Troy’s Kevin Dalafu (12) were the only other North
players to score in double figures besides Moore.
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