Oilers oust Newport

NEWPORT BEACH — Long layoffs haven’t been so kind to Coach Larry Hirst this season.

The next one will be even longer, most likely taking him away from the Newport Harbor High boys’ basketball program for the next three years.

“I really don’t know what I’m going to do with myself,” he said. “I really don’t.”

For sure an unusual situation for Hirst, who will wake up today knowing there won’t be another team to prepare for because the season is over.

Hirst’s 13th season at Newport Harbor ended earlier than expected, as visiting Huntington Beach beat the Sailors, 62-54, in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division I-A playoffs Friday night.

It took Hirst more time than usual to address his team afterward. Once he entered the dressing quarters, he talked about the ride from the start to the end, a lot of highlights.

The second-place finish at a San Francisco Bay Area tournament in December. The recent six-game winning streak to close out Sunset League play in second place.

Now Hirst has to think about his next journey. He said he plans to take a sabbatical to spend more time with his son Tanner, a freshman, who plays at Edison High, and family.

“It really hasn’t sunk in yet,” said Hirst, stunned that the season ended the way it did.

This isn’t how he envisioned it playing out for the Sailors (17-10), making their 12th straight playoff appearance under Hirst. But they looked out of sync, suffering from a seven-day layoff since their final regular-season game.

This happened before when Newport Harbor opened league play, losing at Esperanza after placing second at the Don Bambauer Memorial Christmas Classic in Kentfield, Calif.

Hirst’s best player, 6-foot-9 senior center Kyle Caldwell, fouled out with 43.1 seconds left as Newport Harbor got closer, trailing, 56-51.

“I tried to keep them from running the clock out,” Caldwell said. “It sucks to foul out last game at home.”

One by one, Huntington Beach (23-4), ranked No. 7 in the final Division I-A regular-season poll, took the Sailors’ tenacious frontline out of the game. At the end, it was a bunch of guards going against Huntington Beach’s more talented guards, Nicholas Becker (16 points), Zachary Kimber (14) and Trevor Carroll (13).

Caldwell exited his final game with typical impressive numbers, 26 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks. But none of that mattered to the UCLA-bound volleyball player. The quick and gritty Oilers forced the action, getting Caldwell, along with 6-4 senior forward Max Volz and 6-2 sophomore forward Cecil Whiteside to drill them.

The big men were in foul trouble from the start. Whiteside fouled out first with 6:23 left in the game. Following him later was Caldwell and then Volz. But Volz, who didn’t score, left on bad terms with the Oilers, as he took out his frustration on them. With 9.9 seconds left, he fouled Kimber near the baseline and then shoved Carroll, who fell.

Carroll rose quickly before being held back. Carroll and the Oilers still had another game, a second-round home game against Rancho Cucamonga (21-7) Tuesday.

“We were kind of disappointed about the draw,” said Huntington Beach Coach Fabian Luna, who led his team to a second-place finish in the Sea View League, Newport Harbor’s old league before moving to the Sunset two years ago and taking Huntington Beach’s spot. “We come in here and steal one. I’d rather have that second-round home game.”

Hirst, who has averaged about 17 wins per season, just wanted to continue to coach, away or home. But the Sailors fell short of achieving the kind of success they did when they were on a roll, getting through a tough league, with a big win in the final week against defending league champ Los Alamitos, also the defending section champ.

“We’re usually the team that goes to the free-throw line more,” said Hirst, whose team lost that battle, going 13 for 18 compared to Huntington Beach’s 27-for-36 effort. “This is tough. We don’t know who’s going to take over. My assistants [Robert Torribio and Gary Robinson] will be considered.

“But you never know. I could change my mind and come back. My wife might get tired of seeing me at home.”

CIF Southern Section Division I-A

First-round

Huntington Beach 62, Newport Harbor 54

SCORE BY QUARTERS

HB – Becker 16, Kimber 14, Carroll 13, Negrete 10, Neser 4, Rabat 2, Wilson 2, Wright 1.

3-pt. goals – Kimber 2, Neser 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

NH – Caldwell 26, Kuhns 14, Friend 7, Helfrich 5, Whiteside 2.

3-pt. goals – Friend 1, Kuhns 1, Caldwell 1.

Fouled out – Whiteside, Caldwell, Volz.

Technicals – None.

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