Caldwell comes up big

By David Carrillo PeÃ±aloza

Dec. 21, 2007 12 AM PT

NEWPORT BEACH — The school alarm went off during halftime, a warning of sorts for the Newport Harbor High boys’ basketball team.

When the Sailors returned to the gym floor, it smelled more like a movie theater with bad popcorn. The public address announcer said burnt popcorn caused the alarm to sound.

Whatever the source, Newport Harbor woke up when it needed to against a Woodbridge team coming into Thursday night with one lone win.

Even without one of their more physical and talented players, forward Cecil Whiteside, the Sailors came out in the second half and punished the Warriors.

The Sailors picked up a 64-49 nonleague victory before leaving for the San Francisco Bay Area, where they will compete in the Don Bambauer Memorial Christmas Classic starting Dec. 26.

A much needed boost for Newport Harbor (7-4) after dropping three of its previous four games. The four-day tournament at Marin Catholic in Kentfield will feature the likes of Seattle Prep, the school producing recent NBA players in Portland Trail Blazers guard/forward Martell Webster and Sacramento Kings 7-foot rookie center Spencer Hawes.

Against Woodbridge, Newport Harbor didn’t have to fret about facing any such type players.

The Sailors usual scoring and rebounding machine, 6-9 center Kyle Caldwell, led the way. The senior scored a game-high 26 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and made sure to alter an array of shots throughout the night.

With Whiteside sitting out due to what Newport Harbor Coach Larry Hirst said was for missing practice for personal reasons, Caldwell received some help. Forward Max Volz contributed 15 points, many coming when Woodbridge collapsed on Caldwell.

The strategy worked in the first half for the Warriors (1-9) as they trailed, 26-25, at halftime. Hirst saw it differently, pinning the slow start on his team’s preconceived notions about Woodbridge.

“You can’t help but have kids read a newspaper and they know that they’ve struggled a little bit,” Hirst said. “But as a coaching staff we tried to tell them, ‘They played some really good teams close.’ ”

Two of the Warriors’ more impressive tight contests have come against Orange Lutheran and Cajon of San Bernardino, both single-digit defeats. By whatever amount, Coach John Halagan understands the reason behind the early season woes.

During one stretch in the second quarter, it took Woodbridge 5 minutes, 4 seconds to record its first field goal in the quarter.

“It’s just been a three-game stretch where we just have a hard time making shots,” said Halagan, whose team lost its third straight game by double digits. “We got one guy on the floor that can make a basket [in] Donte Mora.”

Halagan also has one guy in Mora who almost took out Caldwell on a breakaway layup in the third. Caldwell appeared on his way for a two-handed dunk, when Mora, who finished with 18 points, fouled him hard from behind, prompting a referee to call a flagrant foul after Caldwell scored.

Caldwell hit both free-throw attempts, but he was looking to wreak major havoc before putting Newport Harbor ahead, 38-29.

“I was [worried] for a little bit, but after I saw the ball go in, I was over [the hard foul],” said Caldwell, who made eight of 13 shots, including two three-pointers. “I was going to dunk it. I was trying to tear the backboard down.”

For sure that would’ve set off more than an alarm in the building.

Nonleague

Newport Harbor 64, Woodbridge 49

SCORE BY QUARTERS

WB – Mora 18, Kosbab 4, Frazier 4, Marshall 4, Grimmett 3, McVety 3, O’Mara 3, Johnson 3, Shayeg 3, Baum 2, Swan 1.

3-pt. goals – Mora 2, McVety 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – Mora.

NH – Caldwell 26, Volz 15, Galey 7, Kuhns 6, Helfrich 5, D’Cruz 3, Friend 2.

3-pt. goals – Caldwell 2, Volz 1, D’Cruz 1, .

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.