Tars fall in wild card

Chris Yemma

With the end of a season comes the beginning of a new one, no matter

how long away.

The Newport Harbor High girls basketball season was officially

closed Thursday night, but a couple of key players are returning and

the future looks promising.

The Sailors lost in a CIF Southern Section Division II-AA

wild-card playoff game to visiting Paloma Valley, 53-40, to cap a

season that had its ups and downs.

It was more of a rollercoaster for the Sailors (11-16), who

started the first half of the season with a 9-6 record but then

plummeted when Sea View League play commenced. Newport squeaked into

the playoffs with a league at-large berth, meeting the 11-win minimum

for teams not finishing in the top three league spots.

Just after the Sailors had managed to eke themselves into the

postseason, though, the Wildcats (14-14) revealed that perhaps

Newport was in over its head. And so closed the 2004-05 chapter of

the Newport girls basketball novel.

“I think we improved in certain areas throughout the season,”

Sailors’ Coach Jen Thompson said. “Obviously we lost a couple players

last year that really helped us out.

“But they worked hard all season, they always gave 110% at

practice, they gave it their all at games, but it just wasn’t their

night.”

The Sailors closed out their season losing 12 of their last 14

games and went 2-8 in league play. Their two league wins were against

Irvine, which finished 0-10 in league.

Of course, Thursday’s playoff game was probably only delaying the

inevitable -- the winner advances to play Troy (24-2), top-seeded and

top ranked in Division II-AA, as well as Freeway League champions.

“I was hoping that maybe Newport could win at the buzzer with a

three pointer,” joked Paloma Valley Coach Floyd Evans. “Then

[Newport] would be facing [Troy].”

Sailors’ senior captain and four-year varsity player Vanessa

Miller closed out her basketball career at Newport Thursday. Miller

led Newport in scoring all season, averaging 12.8 points per game and

close to one three-pointer a game. She also led in assists with 40.

She finished with 10 points Thursday night.

“Overall I thought we played really well throughout the season and

we kept improving,” Miller said. “It was a tough game tonight because

we thought we could have won...but it was a good season altogether.”

A bright spot also emerged throughout Thursday’s game, and it

could be part of the future of the Sailors’ squad. Sophomore Ivy Melo

produced a team-high 11 points and provided some fourth-quarter

motivation for Newport.

She made her way to the free-throw line four times in the span of

two minutes in the fourth. With 4:59 remaining, she hit a layup and

was fouled, pulling the deficit to 50-34. With 1:17 left, Melo hit a

jumper to put the Sailors within a 50-38 gap.

“She had a great game tonight,” Thompson said of Melo. “She’s

really coming along and playing a lot more aggressive, which is

really nice to see knowing that she’s just a sophomore.”

Melo averaged nearly six points per game and had a career-high 18

points against Yucca Valley earlier in the year.

CIF Division II-AA

Wild card

Paloma Valley 53,

Newport Harbor 40

Score by Quarters

*--*

Paloma Valley 11 16 14 12 -- 53

Newport 8 10 11 11 -- 40

*--*

Paloma -- Poling 14, Costantino 8, Wentz 4, Hernandez 12, Hatcher

8, McKoy 4, Simmons 3.

3-pt. goals -- Simmons 1, Poling 2.

Newport -- Slater 4, Mooers 3, Miller 10, Melo 11, Munnelly 2,

Bodkin 5, Eddington 4, Lawrence 4, Deyan 0, Hernandez 0.

3-pt. goals -- None.