Boys’ Basketball: Sea Kings stay perfect in PCL

IRVINE — Two days after Ryan Schachter won his 250th boys’ basketball game of his career, he coached against a high school team he has beaten quite often.

Schachter went into Thursday night’s contest at Irvine having led Corona del Mar past the Vaqueros 14 straight times.

The Sea Kings made it 15 in a row, blowing out Irvine, 80-49, to remain undefeated in Pacific Coast League play.

The Sea Kings, ranked No. 13 in the CIF Southern Section Division 1A poll, kept pace with defending league champion Northwood.

After CdM improved to 4-0 in league, Schachter got an update on Northwood’s game at Beckman. The Timberwolves held on for a 67-64 win, setting up Tuesday’s first-place showdown at home with CdM.

Both programs wrap up the first round of league against each other. The Sea Kings, who improved to 15-6 overall, are looking forward to the matchup with Northwood, No. 13 in Division 2AA.

“We’re in a good spot,” said Schachter, whose team went 2-3 in the first part of league last season before finishing with a share of second place. “I’m expecting a tough game.”

The Timberwolves, who went 10-0 in league last season, have won their past 14 games in league.

The last team in league to defeat Northwood is CdM, which pulled it off in the final game of the 2014-15 regular season. The result allowed the Sea Kings to go perfect in league and take first place for the sixth time under Schachter.

Since Schachter took over at CdM in 2006-07, the Sea Kings have never finished worst than second. Before he arrived at CdM, he coached two seasons at Costa Mesa, where he shared a league crown and placed second.

“That was probably one of my most fun experiences ever coaching. I love all those kids,” Schachter said of his time with the Mustangs. “I was just talking with one of my former players, Tony Krikorian, about [my] first game [as coach] at Costa Mesa [in 2004-05]. We played a team from Utah and we were down three [late]. I drew a blank in the timeout for our three-point play. Tony was like, ‘Coach, we got to run Bruin,’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, yeah, run Bruin.’ At that point, I felt like I let the guys down [as we lost the game]. Ever since then, I [come] prepared with our plays. I’m never going to let that happen again.”

Schachter was only 26 when he took over a program for the first time. He is 38 and in his 13th season overall, and many regard him as one of the best coaches in Orange County.

Most of Schachter’s 251 victories have come with the Sea Kings. He won his 217th in charge of CdM with ease.

Kevin Kobrine led the way against Irvine (7-11, 1-3 in league), finishing with 15 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. DJ Rodman added 17 points for CdM, while Jacob Jones and Chase Garbers came off the bench and had 12 and 11, respectively.

The Vaqueros, a winless team in league last season, entered the evening having ended a 14-game losing streak in league last Friday by defeating Beckman, 65-62, at home. Home is where Irvine has played league teams tough this season, losing to Woodbridge, 59-57, on Jan. 10.

The Vaqueros’ third home game was never close.

The Sea Kings used a 14-4 run to take a 20-9 lead in the first quarter. They got a basket from Kobrine, Rodman, John Humphreys, Jones, Ben Coffman and Garbers during the stretch.

Garbers, who is committed to Cal’s football program as a quarterback, had nine first-half points, tops for CdM. In the first 16 minutes, the senior made each of his four shots, three in the paint and one on a baseline jumper.

As a team, CdM made 15 of 31 shots in the first half, taking a 37-17 lead into halftime. Irvine struggled, shooting only 24.1% from the field.

The Sea Kings put the game away in the third quarter, outscoring the hosts, 27-13. Schachter sat Kobrine and Rodman in the fourth quarter.

After playing tight games earlier in the week, CdM losing to Riverside Carnegie, 62-60, in the Coach Mike’s Long Shot Challenge on Monday, and CdM edging Woodbridge, 59-58, in league on Tuesday, Schachter was happy to see his team win a lopsided affair.

“Tonight was very good for us,” said Schachter, adding that he can see himself coaching another 13 seasons. “I have to [keep coaching]. My son [Kent] is in kindergarten. If I don’t die before then, the plan is to coach [him in high school]. Maybe I’ll go out with him.”

Pacific Coast League

Corona del Mar 80, Irvine 49

SCORE BY QUARTERS

CdM 20 – 17 – 27 – 16 — 80

Irvine 9 – 8 – 13 – 19 — 49

CdM – Rodman 17, Kobrine 15, Jones 12, Garbers 11, Humphreys 8, Hamilton 4, Dharod 3, Coffman 2, Haly 2, Schwartz 2, Hatch 2, Flood 2.

3-pt. goals – Rodman 1, Kobrine 1, Humphreys 1, Dharod 1, Jones 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

Irv – Alcindor 15, Lee 7, Le 6, Porter 5, Sharma 4, Talesh 4, Mikhanjian 4, Lyons 2, Chaikovsky 2.

3-pt. goals – Le 2, Alcindor 1, Lee 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.