A smooth transition for Dunlap

Newport Harbor High boys’ volleyball coach Dan Glenn would like it if 6-foot-7 junior Weston Dunlap continued to play basketball.

It’s not that Glenn wants Dunlap to spend less time concentrating on volleyball. It’s just that he likes the way Dunlap’s athletic ability and toughness seem to get developed in basketball and carry over into volleyball.

“He’s one of those kids who has really transferred his basketball skills to the volleyball court,” Glenn said. “He’s having so much success in volleyball, I hope he continues to play basketball because of the way his skills transfer over.”

Glenn recalls watching Dunlap ? along with fellow basketball/volleyball players Ted Slater, Kyle Caldwell and Parker Stevens ? compete in a basketball game this season. He liked what he saw.

“I saw him take two charges in a basketball game this season,” Glenn said. “I thought that was huge and said a lot about him in terms of his toughness.”

Dunlap has brought a basketball mentality over to the volleyball court, using his footwork and competitiveness to excel primarily as a middle blocker for the Sailors.

“His greatest attribute is his quickness,” Glenn said. “He’s doing a great job of using his speed on the court. And the fact that he’s 6-foot-7 doesn’t hurt.”

Dunlap says playing basketball has definitely helped him in volleyball.

“Basketball takes a lot of endurance and stamina and so does volleyball, so basketball has definitely prepared me for volleyball,” he said.

Dunlap was Newport Harbor’s most effective player at the Orange County Championships, which concluded last Monday with the Sailors defeating Edison, 25-15, 22-25, 15-10 in the final. Dunlap had nine kills and three blocks in the three-game match and was named the tournament’s MVP.

“A lot of people on the team could have gotten it,” Dunlap said. “But yeah, it’s awesome.”

Dunlap is performing at a high level despite the fact he suffered an athlete’s hernia about three weeks ago and is playing in pain.

“I’m not sure, but I think I did it weightlifting,” Dunlap said.

Since then, Dunlap has stayed out of the weight room, which seems like a wise move.

“There’s not much you can do about it ? it just takes time to recover from,” Glenn said. “He’s done a great job of sucking it up.”

Dunlap said the pain is subsiding.

“I can’t lift yet, but it’s gotten better,” he said.

So does Dunlap consider himself a basketball player or a volleyball player?

“Probably a volleyball player,” he said. “I’m not as strong as I could be. I think my body is better for volleyball.”

Dunlap picked a good year to be a volleyball player for Newport Harbor. With Dunlap’s help, the Sailors have a tournament title under their belt, are ranked No. 4 in CIF Southern Section Division I and look primed to compete for a CIF title.

“We have a lot of potential to win CIF,” Dunlap said. “If we keep working hard, we can go all the way.”

The Weston Dunlap File

Hometown: Newport Beach

Height: 6-foot-7

Weight: 185

Sport: Volleyball

Position: Middle blocker

Coach: Dan Glenn

Favorite food: Pasta

Favorite movie: “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure”

Favorite athletic moment: “Being named MVP [of the Orange County Championships].”

Week in review: Dunlap was a steady force in the Orange County Championships, leading Newport Harbor to the tournament title with a sweep over Edison in the final and being named MVP.dpt-athlete31.IMGGraphicInfo6V1PGEG2200603316V1PGEG2No Captiondpt.31-aow-dunlap-BPhotoInfoVV1PGE3S20060331iwyxn6knKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT(LA)