Sailors win thriller

Bryce Alderton

Just when it seemed the game was getting away from her, Newport

Harbor High senior Jillianne Whitfield persevered and regained

control when her team needed it most -- at the end.

With 10 seconds left, the 5-foot-8 guard drove more than 80 feet,

pumped faked and lofted an eight-foot shot that hit the front of the

rim before trickling into the net to beat the buzzer and send the

visiting Newport Harbor girls basketball team to a heart-pounding

48-46 CIF Southern Section Division II-AA first-round playoff victory

against a stunned University squad Saturday night.

Teammates, parents and friends all swarmed Whitfield, whose shot

gave Newport its first playoff win since 1997.

“It’s amazing,” said Whitfield, who finished with 10 points and

seven rebounds, but played the final 11 minutes, 35 seconds with four

fouls. “My teammates cleared the way down low and I was confident. I

had some security because even if I did miss, we would go to

overtime. I’ve practiced one-on-ones for a long time.

“Just getting to CIF last year was huge and now to win ... it

means a lot.”

Third-year Newport Coach Jen Thompson was stuck for words to

explain how she felt after the final shot went in. Thompson led

Newport to its first playoff appearance in four years last season.

“This is huge because this is where it counts,” Thompson said.

“The girls know all the hard work paid off.”

The Sailors (14-12) trailed 46-41 -- the greatest lead for either

team -- with 2:13 left, but pressured University (17-9), Pacific

Coast League champions, into hurried shots, a credit to stronger

defense.

The Sailors held the Trojans’ leading scorer and sharpshooter,

Kirsten Garey, to nine points -- more than two below her season

average. No Trojan reached double figures in a game that featured

seven ties.

“We played zone, pressed a bit at the end and were quicker,”

Thompson said.

Junior Vanessa Miller led the Tars with 13 points and five

assists, while Kristi Eddington and Victoria Swigart, playing for the

first time in four games, each added nine points.

Swigart, who has been nursing a right knee that pops out of joint,

came off the bench and took over the point when Whitfield picked up

her fourth foul with 5:25 in the third quarter. She added four points

in third quarter to keep the Sailors within 35-31 heading into the

final eight minutes.

“Vic stepped it up,” Thompson said. “It’s not even that she scores

a lot, but her presence on the court is amazing.”

The Sailors host fourth-seeded El Dorado (24-3) in the second

round at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

*--*

CIF Division II-AA

First round

Newport Harbor 48, University 46

Score by Quarters

Newport 9 12 10 17 -- 48

University 11 12 12 11 -- 46

Newport -- Eddington 9, Lawrence 1, Miller

13, Whitfield 10, Stoltz 4, Koon 2, Swigart

9, Trobman 0, Deyan 0. 3-pt. goals -- Swigart

1. Fouled out -- None. Technicals -- None.

University -- Eliot 2, Sutter 4, Garey 9,

Kauker 7, Gomez 4, Kleinsmith 2, Newsome 6,

Howlett 4, Backus 8, Briggs 0. 3-pt. goals --

Garey 2. Fouled out -- None. Technicals --

None.

*--*