ORANGE COUNTY BOYS’ BASKETBALL : Sea View League : Newport Runs Hot, Cold in Loss
Tim Parsel, Newport Harbor basketball coach, has a theory that the teams in the Sea View League are so equal, the one that gets hot in the final four minutes usually wins.
Parsel’s team got hot in the final two minutes of play but went cold in the final four seconds, missing two easy shots, and lost to Woodbridge, 50-49, Wednesday night in Irvine.
The teams in the eight-team league match up extremely well. Woodbridge and Newport Harbor spilt their two games by a total of three points. Woodbridge improved to 5-3 and 16-5 with the win; Newport Harbor (4-4, 10-8) fell out of a four-way tie for second place.
The Sailors trailed, 49-42, with three minutes remaining but cut the deficit to one point following a field goal by Maurice Lee and a three-point play by Lance Torell. When Warrior guard David Townsend missed a one-and-one free throw opportunity with 34 seconds left, Newport Harbor had a chance.
The Sailors worked the clock down to 17 seconds and called a timeout. The plan was to set a screen for Jon Alstrom, but Lee had an open 15-footer that he missed with four seconds left.
The ball bounced into the hands of Torell, but he missed a short follow shot, Woodbridge center Adam Keefe rebounded and the Warriors had a victory.
Laguna Beach 60, Corona del Mar 57--Bill Efsten scored nine of his 16 points in the last quarter as the Artists beat Corona del Mar for the first time since 1976. Laguna Beach’s Coby Naess had 22 points and 20 rebounds, and point guard Tod Bearbower paced the Sea Kings with 22 points.
Jeff Fryer, who entered the game as the county’s leading scorer with a 29.6 average, was limited to 17 points and only six after halftime. Corona del Mar is 6-2 in league play and 16-4 overall. Laguna Beach is tied with Woodbridge for second at 5-3 and 11-7 overall.
Estancia 81, Costa Mesa 56--Craig Covey scored 18 points and had 13 rebounds to lead the Eagles. Costa Mesa’s Mitch Pelichowski was held to 12 points and left the game with a sprained ankle in the third quarter.
Saddleback 60, University 59--Bryant Walton made two free throws with 18 seconds left to give the Roadrunners (4-4, 9-9) a one-point victory over the Trojans at University. Steve Stolzoff scored 17 points for the Trojans (4-4, 9-9).