PREP BASKETBALL : Sea View League : CdM Beats Saddleback for Third

The Corona del Mar High School basketball team assured itself of a Southern Section 4-A playoff spot with a 63-55 win over Saddleback in the Sea Kings’ gym Wednesday.

The Sea Kings (10-3, 18-6) eliminated Saddleback (7-6 in league, 14-10 overall) from a possible playoff berth and clinched third place in the Sea View League.

The game was close for 1 1/2 quarters, but once the Sea Kings gained a six-point lead, 24-18, with 3:52 to play in the second quarter, they remained in control to the end.

Corona del Mar’s patient offense freed junior guard Jeff Fryer for jump shots from the outside and 6-foot 8-inch senior center Steve Morris near the basket. Fryer led the Sea Kings with 21 points and Morris added 18.

Saddleback’s Bryant Walton led all scorers with 23 points and his brother, Mark, added 11, but the Roadrunners’ point production dropped off considerably after that.

Corona del Mar managed to control the game by boxing the taller Roadrunners off the boards, allowing the Sea Kings to dictate a much slower tempo than the Roadrunners are accustomed to playing.

The Sea Kings aren’t afraid to run, but they pick and choose their fast break opportunities with more care than most of the teams in their league.

Still, Corona del Mar managed to catch Saddleback by surprise several times in the game, particularly with 1:53 to play in the third quarter, when guard Rick Smirl scored and was fouled on a lay up. The three-point play gave the Sea Kings a 43-32 lead, and the game was all but over at that point.

SADDLEBACK (55)--Jones 6, Butler 2, Peterson 5, B. Walton 23, M. Walton 11, Deal 8.

CORONA DEL MAR (63)--Green 1, Zimmer 6, Smirl 15, Strauss 2, Fryer 21, Morris 18.

In other Sea View League action:

Estancia 60, Woodbridge 59--Scott Clements scored 31 points and Adam Lockwood added 17 as the Eagles held off the Warriors in Irvine. Estancia (11-2, 23-3) made 24 of 29 shots from the free throw line.

ESTANCIA (60)--Lockwood 17, Van Doren 2, Mooney 8, Clements 31, Stamps 2.

WOODBRIDGE (59)--Murphy 19, Bryan 2, Lyon 10, Townsend 10, Sullivan 12, Cryer 2 Rounaghi 2, Phillips 2.

Laguna Beach 89, University 71--Coby Naess scored 21 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to lead the Artists to the win at Laguna Beach. Brad Arnold led University with 23 points.

UNIVERSITY (71)--Arnold 23, Stolzoff 10, Paulson 12, Warren 2, Bratton 8, Glassen 9.

LAGUNA BEACH (89)--Naess 21, McGrath 15, Herdman 13, Wotford 12, Elfsten 10, Jordan 8, Fortune 8, Dewitt 2.

Newport Harbor 81, Costa Mesa 66--The Sailors shot 61% from the field in a win at Newport Harbor. Guard Chuck McGavran led Newport Harbor (12-1) with 21 points. The win clinched at least a share of the Sea View League title for the Sailors.

COSTA MESA (66)--Pelichowski 21, Kimme 11, Stroich 6, Judd 12, Louden 6, Harrison 10.

NEWPORT HARBOR (81)--Mase 15, McGavran 21, Fraser 19, James 2, Beech 11, Lindsay 2, Truoug 2, A. Lee 2, M. Lee 2, Sorensen 5.