McGinnis Leads No. 3 Villa Park

Villa Park watched one big lead evaporate but didn’t let it happen a second time as the host Spartans beat Newport Harbor, 74-61, in a Southern Section Division I-A boys’ basketball quarterfinal game Friday.

The Spartans (24-5) led by 12 early in the second quarter, but Newport Harbor finished the half on a 9-2 run to get within five. The Sailors then scored the first five points of the second half to tie the score, 32-32.

Despite losing the advantage, Villa Park guard Matt McGinnis said he and his teammates still had plenty of confidence.

“We always say that the third quarter is the biggest quarter,” said McGinnis, who finished with a game-high 22 points. “Once we get them down, we go for blood.”

McGinnis had eight points in the quarter, including two of his five three-pointers.

One of the three-pointers broke the 32-32 tie and Villa Park never trailed again.

The third-seeded Spartans, who have won seven in a row, advance to play No. 2 Corona Centennial in the semifinals on Tuesday.

“This was a huge win,” Villa Park Coach Kevin Reynolds said. “We have been in the [quarterfinals] the last two years but we stumbled and this year we didn’t. That was one of our goals.

“We knew Newport was a very good team. . . . We knew we would have to put the dagger in pretty deep to beat them.”

Kyle Egkan added 16 for Villa Park and Sean Phaler had 13, including nine in the third quarter when Villa Park outscored Newport, 23-14, to take a 55-41 lead.

Egkan had nine in the fourth quarter as he took advantage of open opportunities created when Newport Harbor increased the defensive pressure on McGinnis.

Tony Melum scored 19, Gregg Perrine had 15 and Aaron Yarnal finished with 12 for Newport Harbor (21-7).