Corona del Mar routs Irvine, gets into title chase

Corona del Mar High found much that was missing in its first three Pacific Coast League boys’ basketball games and bulled its way back into the title chase, romping to a 73-54 triumph in a critical clash with visiting Irvine on Thursday.

Kevin Kobrine scored 23 points, John Humphreys added 14, and Jack Stone hit three three-pointers as the Sea Kings (12-7 overall, 2-2 in league) dominated all but a six-minute span of the third and fourth quarters to pull within a game of first-place Northwood.

Defending league champion CdM hit nine shots from beyond the arc, forced 14 turnovers, and it was commanding on the defensive boards to build a 30-point lead midway through the third quarter.

Josh Alcindor scored 12 of his 22 points — including three three-pointers, one a bank shot from near midcourt — as Irvine (8-11, 1-3) went on a 20-2 run to trim the Sea Kings’ lead to 61-50 at the midpoint of the final period. CdM pulled away as Kobrine regained control. He scored from a Jake Humphreys feed in the lane, completed his third alley-oop dunk of the night from Ben Coffman, and blocked two shots, including an Alcindor three-pointer.

“Until [Irvine’s late run], it was a really good effort,” Sea Kings coach Ryan Schachter said. “We shared the ball, got out on transition, and I liked the ball movement. I thought we did a good job on the boards, for the most part. Overall, I liked what I saw.

“Alcindor is a heck of a player, and he got going, hit some shots. But we still have to do a better job of helping. The help guys weren’t helping enough.”

Schachter said the Sea Kings gave up 17 second-chance points in its league-opening loss last week at University and 18 in Tuesday’s home loss to Northwood. Irvine got none.

“Hopefully, we can move forward now,” Schachter said. “We’re 2-2, and if we want to win a league championship, well, every game is for the league championship now. Hopefully, someone will knock off University or Northwood. They’ll knock each other off once, and we’ll see how it goes.”

Schachter’s wish was granted Thursday, when Beckman (9-11, 2-2) pulled off a 60-59 upset at Northwood (16-5, 3-1) and Woodbridge (6-15, 2-2) claimed an 86-77 victory at University (13-6, 2-2). Four teams are a game behind Northwood, with Irvine at the bottom.

The Sea Kings went ahead on Kobrine’s first alley-oop seconds into the game. They led by seven after the first quarter, then watched Irvine, on a Kyle Anderson three-pointer and Devin Lee free throw, pull within 20-17.

A 10-0 run, climaxed by Kobrine’s second big dunk, knocked the Vaqueros down. Humphreys, healthy after weathering the flu against Northwood, scored on three successive fastbreak layups to make it 36-19.

Behind Kobrine and Humphreys, CdM scored the first 14 points of the second half to make it 53-23. It was over once the Sea Kings halted Irvine’s run.

The Sea Kings have a tough test outside of league next. They face Etiwanda (19-1), ranked No. 10 in the country by MaxPreps.com, in the Azusa Pacific University Shootout at La Verne Damien High on Saturday at 6 p.m.

*

Corona del Mar 73, Irvine 54

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Irvine 13 – 10 – 14 – 17 — 54

Corona del Mar 20 – 19 – 20 – 14 — 73

Irvine – Alcindor 22, Dean 10, Lee 9, Anderson 6, Porter 3, Reyes 2, Bracha 2.

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

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

CdM – Kobrine 23, Humphreys 14, Stone 9, Hamilton 8, Garza 8, Sadeghi 5, Flood 4, Coffman 2.

3-pt. goals – Stone 3, Humphreys 2, Hamilton 2, Garza 1, Sadeghi 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

SCOTT FRENCH is a contributor to Times Community News. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottJFrench