Sailors finish strong

NEWPORT BEACH — The strategy from the start for the Newport Harbor High boys’ basketball team, don’t make Kyle Caldwell the main focus.

A strange plan to some after Caldwell scored a school-record 47 points in a game the previous time he set foot on the court last week.

But Coach Larry Hirst followed through by taking the 6-foot-9 center away from the post against visiting Esperanza. The last time Caldwell spent a majority of time in the paint against the Aztecs, they hit him hard, forcing him out of action with cuts near an eye and knee, and for good measure, a busted lip.

This time Caldwell took himself out of the Sunset League game Friday, picking up his third foul midway through the second quarter. On the bench, Hirst advised Caldwell to “try to stay away from contact” the next time he entered the game.

No way possible.

In the first couple of minutes of the second half, Caldwell attacked two defenders near the baseline, blocked two shots, altered another, and then got fouled by a familiar face, Esperanza 6-5 senior Kyle Pascual. Both big men exited.

But Newport Harbor kept charging forward. Max Volz, like he did in the first half, hit a big shot, a three-pointer, part of a 14-4 run that allowed the Sailors to go on and win, 59-53, and get revenge on the Aztecs.

If the Sailors (13-9, 3-3 in league) figured to do so after losing, 56-46, at Esperanza on Jan. 4, they were in dire need of others to pick up the scoring slack. The start of the second go-around in league play began not the way Hirst envisioned it. Caldwell, considered the best player in league, was mired in foul trouble.

But Volz carried Newport Harbor in the first half against Esperanza (14-9, 4-2), which entered the game in second place in league. The senior scored 11 of his 14 points, allowing the Sailors to take a 29-27 lead at halftime.

The team’s defensive stopper, Michael Helfrich, in charge of containing the Aztecs’ hottest guard, either Arman Brown or Chad Delaney, led the Sailors with a season-high 15 points.

“We wanted to get back at them,” Volz said.

The way to accomplish that, make up for Caldwell’s production: 21.4 points per game. Caldwell struggled, finishing with 13 points.

“We realized that Kyle was in foul trouble, so we had to step up offensively,” said Helfrich, who made five of seven shots. “If we want to stay in the league title hunt, we have to win [out].”

Caldwell made sure that Newport Harbor stayed in contention with four league games remaining. He scored nine points in the fourth quarter, including ferociously grabbing rebounds and protecting the ball with his elbows up.

His right elbow caught Esperanza guard Casey Wasinack in the face. Caldwell had just recorded one of his 10 rebounds with the Sailors up, 45-36, with 6:44 left, when Wasinack reached for the ball. He got a full dose of Caldwell’s frustrations stemming from the first meeting.

“I was pretty aggravated,” said Caldwell, who had to go to the emergency room after the first game against Esperanza. “I tried to keep my cool as much as I can.”

Caldwell had his moments. He began exerting his force again when the Aztecs trapped him at the 5:42 mark in the fourth. Near the sideline, Caldwell shoved Wasinack after losing the ball.

It prompted Esperanza Coach Jason Pietsch to challenge the referee. Pietsch sounded like someone speaking out at a city council meeting during the general comment period.

“He can’t get away with that!” said Pietsch, whose team lost sole possession of second place, a position Esperanza now shares with Edison.

Newport Harbor is right behind the two. Defending league champ Los Alamitos (6-0) is in first.

Sunset League

Newport Harbor 59, Esperanza 53

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Esp. – Brown 16, Delaney 15, Pettibone 6, Ortin 5, Pascual 4, Birtles 4, Wasinack 2, Constantino 1.

3-pt. goals – Brown 2, Ortin 1, Delaney 1.

Fouled out – Wasinack, Pascual.

NH – Helfrich 15, Volz 14, Caldwell 13, Kuhns 7, Friend 6, Whiteside 4.

3-pt. goals – Friend 2, Kuhns 1, Volz 1.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.