2007-08 team wins Newport alumni hoops tourney

The 2007-08 team, that did not compete in last year’s Newport Harbor Alumni Basketball Tournament, came back this year and ready to play in the 12th annual event.

The “young” guns shot down the 2001-02 team in the semifinals and then beat the early 90s team in the final to collect the championship in the eight-team tournament July 28 at Newport Harbor High.

From the outset it appeared the aforementioned three teams were the clear favorites because each had won at least once in past tournaments.

The championship team of graduates from 2007 and 2008 featured Wes Dunlap, Matt Helfrich, Travis Kuhns, Chad Stassel, Taylor Lobdell and Shane Vultee.

Vultee came through in the title game by hitting the open shots when it appeared the 90s team would make a comeback. The team from the early 90s made it close in the early going but the young guns from ’07 and’08 won the game by 12 going away.

In the semifinal round the game see-sawed back and forth between the team from ’01 and ’02 and the young guns from ’07 and ’08. The 2001-02 players, last year’s champions who have been to the finals multiple times, were unable to repeat the magic of last year. In the final, Stassel, who at one time held the Newport Harbor record for most three-point field goals made in a single game, led the charge with multiple shots from distance.

The early 90s team was led by Justin McIntee, Chuck McGavern, Paig Parrish and Eddie Martinez.

The 2001-02 team featured Chase Cameron, Tony Melum, Greg Perrine and the oldest player in the tournament Bob Small (class of ‘69).

— Reader submission