Griffins thwart Sailors

LOS ALAMITOS — What most expected to be a battle of big men was decided closer to 20 feet from the basket Friday night, when Newport Harbor High visited Los Alamitos in a clash of Sunset League unbeatens.

The Griffins, benefiting from the Sailors’ zone defense — implemented in order to focus attention on Los Al’s twin towers — netted eight of 13 three-point attempts (61.5%) on their way to a 68-41 boys’ basketball blowout.

Los Al (17-4, 5-0 in league), the defending CIF Southern Section Division I-AA champion, ranked No. 6 in Division I-A this season, forced the Sailors (13-5, 4-1) to abandon their atypical zone by halftime.

The Griffins finished 28 of 51 from the field (54.9%) and committed just three turnovers, in what Coach Russ May called one of their best performances of the year.

“Shooting threes has not been our strength,” May said. “But tonight was a good night for them to start going in.”

Los Al, which features 6-foot-9 senior Clint Amberry, a returning first-team all-league performer, and 6-9 junior reserve Corbin Moore, made three of four shots from beyond the arc in the second period to finish six of 11 from threedom for the half.

The hosts outscored the Tars, 19-7, in the second quarter to take a 38-23 halftime advantage.

“We scouted them as much as we have any team in the last seven years and the word on the street was that they couldn’t shoot the outside shot very well,” Newport Harbor Coach Larry Hirst said. “So we thought packing a zone in on their bigs was the thing to do.

“We were wrong.”

Los Al shot 60% before intermission (15 of 25), then took advantage of its superior quickness to control the final 16 minutes, after the Sailors shifted back to their trademark man-to-man defense.

Newport Harbor received some production from its big men, but got little elsewhere.

Kyle Caldwell, a 6-8 junior center, led the visitors with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Weston Dunlap, a 6-7 senior forward, chipped in 12 points and three rebounds.

Caldwell made five of 11 field-goal tries, while Dunlap was six of 12 from the field.

The rest of the Sailors made just five of 19 field-goal attempts.

Newport Harbor committed a mere nine turnovers, but Hirst said his choice of game plans was too much for his players to overcome.

“The coaching staff goofed,” Hirst said. “Our guys played hard, but this was our worst game in league, so far. And we played the best team in the league. That’s a combination that didn’t bode well for us at all.”

The Sailors finish the first round of their first Sunset League campaign since 1981 still within striking distance of a title.

“We said going into this game, we were happy to be 4-0 in league,” Hirst said. “But we knew the league title would go through Los Alamitos. Hopefully, by the time we play them again [the regular-season finale Feb. 8], we’ll be playing for at least a share of the league championship.”

The Griffins have won or shared nine of the last 10 Sunset crowns.

Amberry finished with 15 points, including a pair of three-pointers, while Moore made six of eight field-goal tries and added eight rebounds and three blocked shots.

Senior guard Cameron Jones, who came in leading Los Al scorers with 18.9 points per game, had 10 points. He did not have a three-pointer.

Newport Harbor made three of 13 from three-point range, two by senior guard Chad Stassel.

A three-pointer by junior Dillon Ratleff, the son of former Long Beach State All-American Ed Ratleff, capped a 9-0 Los Al run to begin the second quarter.

Caldwell accounted for all seven second-quarter points for the Sailors, who saw their six-game win streak snapped.

Los Alamitos has now won 10 in a row and is 46-9 the last two seasons.

Sunset League

Los Alamitos 68,

Newport Harbor 41

Score by Quarters

Newport

16

7

9

9

—

41

Los Alamitos

19

19

12

18

—

68

Newport Harbor -- Dunlap 12, Caldwell 14, Stassel 6, Ma. Helfrich 2, Kuhns 2, Serrano 5.

3-pt. goals -- Stassel 2, Serrano 1.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.

Los Alamitos -- Amberry 15, Evans 4, Jones 10, Davis 7, Lewis 5, Moore 13, Ratleff 8, Schmeer 6.

3-pt. goals -- Amberry 2, Ratleff 2, Schmeer 2, Davis 1, Lewis 1.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.