Boys basketball: Sea Kings curry favor with coach

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - Months from now, Ryan Curry won’t look back upon

his Corona del Mar High boys basketball team’s victory over Estancia

Saturday in the George Yardley Summer Cage Classic and think of his first

win at the Sea Kings’ helm.

Instead, the first-year coach from Grass Valley, for whom beating

Estancia has no more significance at this point than beating Estonia,

will recall July 7, 2001 as the day his vision of the future began to

merge with reality.

“The biggest thing for me was, I thought we started to look like the

way I think the game should be played,” Curry said after CdM’s 56-42

triumph at Newport Harbor High in the consolation bracket of the

three-day tournament.

The win propelled the Sea Kings into a consolation quarterfinal

Saturday night against Edison.

“We passed and screened away, we moved more without the ball and we

were passing the ball.”

The Sea Kings were also shooting well, led by junior Kevin Mancillas,

who sank a trio of first-quarter three-pointers to help stake CdM to a

22-10 first-quarter lead.

Mancillas finished the first quarter with 11 points, en route to a

game-high 29, including four three-pointers.

“I don’t know how many he had, but he sure shot the ball well,” Curry

said. “That’s the best game he’s had this summer.”

Senior Eric Glass added 13 points, including two three-pointers in the

first quarter, and Jay Northridge connected on another three ball in the

third quarter, after which CdM led, 46-29.

Estancia, guided by assistant Russ King, who filled in for Chris

Sorce, got 14 points from 6-foot-6 junior Joey Lindquist, including eight

in the first quarter.

But CdM stepped up its inside defense the final three quarters and

Estancia’s perimeter shooters frequently missed the mark.

The Eagles, after giving up the final seven points of the third

quarter, went on an 11-4 run to open the fourth. Jorge Prado (13 points)

had four points during the surge, which also included a three-pointer by

Fernando Maldonado.

But, only 3:42 remained after Prado’s layup finalized the spurt and

CdM drilled six straight free throws from there to ice it, including four

by Mancillas.

Estancia played Morro Bay later Saturday.

Some CdM players congratulated Curry on his first CdM win after the

game, but Curry shrugged off any personal significance. He also balked at

any advantage beating Newport-Mesa District and Pacific Coast League

rival Estancia might foster.

“Right now, I don’t know one team from the next,” he said. “And, after

all, it’s still summer.”

GEORGE YARDLEY SUMMER CAGE CLASSIC

CdM 56, Estancia 42

Score by Quarters

Corona del Mar 22 13 11 10 - 56

Estancia 10 12 7 13 - 42

Corona del Mar - Mancillas 29, Glass 13, Northview 7, Matsen 4, Wald

2, Najar 1.

3-pt. goals - Mancillas 4, Glass 2, Northview 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.

Estancia - Lindquist 14, Prado 13, Maldonado 8, Cachola 3, Novak 4.

3-pt. goals - Prado 2, Maldonado 1, Cachola 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.