Boys’ Basketball: Tars top Oilers, force playoff
In addition to handling visiting Huntington Beach, 62-40, to forge a third-place tie in the Sunset League on Thursday, the Newport Harbor High boys’ basketball team accomplished something unexpected.
The Sailors defined Coach Bob Torribio’s game plan/pregame speech for Friday’s 6 p.m. third-place playoff game with the Oilers at Edison High.
“More of the same,” Torribio said of his simple instructions for the third-place playoff, necessary after both teams finished 5-5 in league and split their two Sunset meetings.
Thursday’s win for Newport Harbor (15-11) avenged an 86-57 setback at Huntington Beach on Jan. 20.
The Sailors rolled Thursday by sinking 11 of 21 three-point attempts (52.4%), including 10 three-pointers in the opening three quarters.
Huntington Beach (16-11) was three for 13 from threedom (21.1%) and made just one of 11 field-goal tries in the second quarter, in which the Tars posted a 21-3 scoring advantage.
Huntington Beach was just one for 12 from the field in the final period and finished 14 for 49 (28.6%) on the night. It was the second-fewest points the Oilers scored all season, while only twice this season did Newport Harbor allow fewer points.
“We made some shots,” Torribio said. “Our guys stepped up, they reversed the ball, they rotated a couple times and made open shots.”
On senior night, seniors Collin Pipkin and Zach Blaine clearly had their range. Pipkin made his first four three-pointers on his way to 14 first-half points. He finished four for five from beyond the arc.
Blaine netted back-to-back three-point tries in the third quarter and was three for five from distance.
Pipkin and Blaine both scored a game-high 15 for the winners, who posted a 36-27 rebounding advantage to overcome an 18-16 turnover deficit.
Junior reserve Jake Bashore had nine rebounds and two points, while junior Brad Siegel collected 11 points and four rebounds and sophomore Dayne Chalmers chipped in seven points and six rebounds for Newport Harbor.
Seniors Brock Malliet and Hugo Delgadillo, as well as Siegel and Barela netted one three-pointer each for the Sailors.
“It takes everybody on our team,” Torribio said. “We have five great starters and everybody on our bench knows their role. They always help when they get playing time.
“We’re a very competitive group and very unselfish,” Torribio said. “Tonight the ball went in for us.”
Senior Cooper Starkel led the Oilers with 11 points, including a pair of three-pointers. Starkel’s three-pointer that beat the first-quarter buzzer pulled the Oilers within 15-14.
But Huntington went more than seven minutes before its next field goal and never got closer than 12 in the second half.
Sunset League
Newport Harbor 62, Huntington Beach 40
SCORE BY QUARTERS
HB 14 – 3 – 15 – 8 – 40
NH 15 – 21 – 12 – 14 – 62
HB – Starkel 11, Moore 8, Brodt 8, Gonzalez 3, Remo 3, Sueda 2, Mitchel 2, Vis 2, Jones 1.
3-pt. goals – Starkel 2, Gonzalez 1.
Fouled out – Wilson.
Technicals – None.
NH – Pipkin 15, Blaine 15, Siegel 11, Chalmers 7, Barela 5, Malliet 4, Delgadillo 3, Bashore 2.
3-pt. goals – Pipkin 4, Blaine 3, Barela 1, Siegel 1, Malliet 1, Delgadillo 1.
Fouled out – Pipkin.
Technicals – None.
Twitter: @BarryFaulkner5
