Newport Harbor Uses Winning Formula Again
Eighth-ranked Irvine’s 59-48 loss to fifth-ranked Newport Harbor on Friday had an awful and familiar feel to it for the Vaqueros.
When the teams met earlier in the Irvine World News Tournament, Newport Harbor used a 17-5 third quarter to pull away for a 50-37 victory.
On Friday, in the Sea View League opener for both teams, the host Sailors struck again in the third quarter, outscoring the Vaqueros, 21-9.
In winning its seventh straight, Newport Harbor (16-2, 1-0) used the same formula--a full-court press that forced a flurry of Irvine turnovers, mixing in a couple of big three-point baskets from Matt Jameson and Gary Robinson with several layups to turn a 23-21 halftime deficit into 42-32 lead.
It was a deficit from which Irvine (13-4, 0-1) could not recover.
“It was instant replay,” Irvine Coach Steve Keith said. “If you saw the first game, you saw the same thing in this game. We got sloppy with the ball and dug ourselves a big hole. They didn’t do anything different, but we kept giving the ball away.”
Newport Harbor also was dogged defensively. Jameson leaned on and pestered Vaquero guard Chris Ferguson like a bill collector. Ferguson scored a game-high 18 points but made only six of 18 field-goal attempts.
“We’ve had a pretty good rivalry the past three years,” said Jameson, who scored 14 points, two coming on a halfcourt steal and layup with 15 seconds left to seal the victory. “If I can get him frustrated and thinking of me, his mind isn’t on the game.”
Also hurting Irvine offensively was forward Tim Rapp (eight points), who hauled in 15 rebounds but missed 10 of 14 shots, many of them three feet from the basket or closer.
The Sailors could have made it easier by making more of their free throws down the stretch. They made only seven of 17 in the second half (11 of 23 overall). But the third quarter provided more than enough cushion.
“Irvine had scouted us well, and in the first half we weren’t looking for the second and third options on offense,” Sailor Coach Larry Hirst said. “We did a better job in the second half.”
In other league games:
Corona del Mar 51, El Toro 47--John Alshuler had 17 points for Corona del Mar, which fought off a late rally. Ken Tanaka scored 18 for El Toro (11-6, 0-1).
Santa Margarita 60, Woodbridge 44--Host Woodbridge had a six-point lead at the half, but halfway through the third quarter Spencer Gloger hit a three-pointer to put the Eagles in the lead for good. Gloger had 18 of his 26 points in the second half, and was 10 of 13 from the field.