Newport producing All-Net champions

The Newport-Mesa Breakers eighth-grade All-Net National Junior

Basketball team defended its title by winning back-to-back league

championships.

Newport overcame a six-point fourth-quarter deficit and held off

Trabuco Hills, 45-43, to advance to the Southern California All-Net

regional tournament as the No. 1 seed.

After being tied at 28 after three quarters, Newport gave up the

first six points of the fourth, giving Trabuco the biggest lead of a

back-and-forth game.

The guard trio of Joe Eberhard, Jamie McGee and Robbie Boyer

scored all 17 of Newport’s fourth-quarter points, supported by the

strong defense and rebounding by Kyle Caldwell, Gus Ellis and Ali

Meshkin.

Eberhard finished with 12 points to go with three assists while

McGee added 12 points and two steals. Boyer scored five points to go

with four assists and Caldwell added seven rebounds and five blocks

to go with four points. Meshkin and Brandon Boothe each had four

points while Jonathan Howse added two. Ellis had two points to go

with five rebounds and three blocks while Preston Oklejas added solid

defense at guard.

In sixth-grade All-Net action:

* The Newport-Mesa Shredders captured the sixth-grade division

title with a 60-30 victory over Aliso Niguel.

The Shredders (13-1), led by coaches Tom Rolfes, Dominic Picarelli

and Charlie Hurst, have used a full-court press to limit opposing

offenses all season.

Michael Pierce led the team in scoring and provided strength

inside. Ryan Rolfes, J.D. Abbott and Ethan Ayres also provided

strength inside while Brian Hurst, Matt Fisher and J.D. Root took

charge at point guard.

Shooting guards Matt Viles, Jon Picarelli and Luke Christiano have

kept opposing defense nervous.

The Shredders headed into the sectional tournament beginning

Saturday.