Ocean View’s Win Gives Coach a Thrill

As the last seconds ticked away in Ocean View’s 59-47 triumph over Barstow for the Division III-AA boys’ basketball title at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, Jim Harris was trying to decide if winning his first section title in 20 years of coaching was his biggest thrill.

Make it a close second.

“I had heard my daughter Kim’s team [Brethren Christian] had won their game in overtime,” said Harris, referring to the Division IV-A girls’ championship game that was played Saturday at the Pyramid in Long Beach. Kim, who coaches Brethren Christian, arrived at the Pond midway through the second half and after the game presented the Division III-AA championship plaque to her father.

“That has to be the biggest thrill. But this [game] still has to sink in.”

It won’t take long. Although the bigger, stronger Seahawks (25-4) struggled at times with the small, yet scrappy Aztecs, Ocean View never trailed and, after blowing out to a 19-3 lead five minutes into the game, was never seriously threatened.

Barstow (25-4) could not negate Seahawk MVP Kevin Hanson on either end of the floor. A 6-foot-10 center headed to the University of San Diego, Hanson led all scorers with 21 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. He also blocked five shots, four of those in the first half, and altered numerous others.

Joey Baca led Barstow with 14 points.

Hanson made life especially miserable for Aztec forward Charles Mann by blocking three of his shots. “I kept driving to the basket and he kept blocking,” said Mann, who was two for 17 from the field and scored seven points.

“I thought we could discourage them,” Hanson said. Not really. Barstow still heaved up 68 shots (making 17) and maintained its full-court press that was primarily responsible for 20 steals and forcing 27 Ocean View turnovers.

“All year it has been our style to make the game as chaotic as possible,” Barstow Coach Brian Brown said. “But today we never got into our tempo, our rhythm. Some of that was their defense; but I also thought we didn’t take advantage of their mistakes.”

Harris said he did not show his players any Barstow game film because he did not want them to get overconfident because of their size advantage and then question themselves if the Aztec press was effective.

“I didn’t want us thinking ‘We’re bigger, we’ll win,’ ” Harris said. “I saw on their game film that Barstow is very disruptive and relentless. They never stop.”

Seahawk guard Tony Dow, who had 10 points, four rebounds and five steals, said getting the big early lead momentarily hurt Ocean View.

“We kind of lost our focus in the second quarter,” said Dow, remembering how Barstow closed to 28-21. “We were patient early, then we got out of control. Coach said to slow things down, which we did.”

Ocean View reasserted its dominance in the third quarter, outscoring Barstow, 18-6, in the period and stretching its lead to 19 points. “That was the quarter that killed us,” Brown said.

The fourth quarter was merely survival for Ocean View, which now awaits its Tuesday pairing in the Southern California Regional championships.

Meanwhile Harris wants to enjoy the moment.

“I saw so many Ocean View alums in the stands from the ‘80s, which were supposed to be our glory years,” Harris said. “This team brought that tradition back today.”