Newport holds off Aliso, 69-65

Richard Dunn

When you look in the newspaper and see box scores, there are

blowouts, close games and routine victories, but they don’t always

tell the story.

Case in point: If you analyze host Newport Harbor High’s 69-65 Sea

View League boys basketball win Wednesday night over Aliso Niguel,

you’d figure it was tight the whole way with a few lead changes and

perhaps a couple of ties.

And, while the game’s leads were relatively narrow, it certainly

wasn’t as close as the final score would indicate.

The defending league champion Sailors (10-7, 2-0 in league)

enjoyed a nine-point advantage after senior Chad Rorden’s layup with

1:45 left, and, following Aliso Niguel’s ensuing turnover, it

appeared Newport Harbor could run out the clock until the Wolverines

were forced to foul.

But Aliso Niguel (7-9, 0-2) rallied to make the final minute

interesting.

After a Newport Harbor turnover, Aliso’s Michael Roll (17 points)

hit a three-pointer with 1:04 remaining, the visitors’ first

three-point shot of the night, to cut the Sailors’ lead to 66-60.

Harbor’s Chase Cameron made one of two free throws, then Aliso

Niguel’s John Wise, a 6-foot-5 forward, hit home on a desperation

three-pointer that kissed off the window.

“There’s nothing we can do about that bank shot three-pointer,”

Newport Harbor Coach Larry Hirst said.

After Newport’s 16th and final turnover, Roll scored on a short

jump shot with 0:24 on the clock, cutting the Sailors’ lead to 67-65.

Newport Harbor junior Andre Pinesett toed the free-throw line with

13.2 seconds remaining. He missed the first, then swished the second,

but the Wolverines found themselves trailing only by three points.

And the way they were hitting threes at the end, most in the house

probably figured another one to tie it would be a distinct

possibility.

But an Aliso Niguel player stepped on the inbound line while

trying to inbound the ball, and, following the huge turnover,

Pinesett was fouled again and sent to the line. He sank one of two

with 10.4 seconds to go to give Harbor its margin of victory.

“It was a chess game,” Hirst said. “We’d match their counter moves

with our counter moves. Who knows what would have happened if it was

a 48-minute game (like in the NBA)? It was just a good high school

basketball game and we’re fortunate the clock ran out for us.”

Newport Harbor, which plays at Irvine Friday, was led by 6-8

senior center Nedim Pajevic’s 18 points, 10 rebounds (four

offensive), three blocked shots and one assist. Rorden finished with

12 points, six rebounds and two steals, while Pinesett had 11 points

and four rebounds. Brett Lowenthal, a 6-6 junior, came off the bench

to provide 14 points for the Sailors.

Aliso Niguel trailed by eight points late in the third quarter,

but came back to tie the game, 49-49, after the fourth quarter’s

opening possession. It was the first tie since 10-10. Aliso Niguel led in the first quarter, 6-3, but never led again after Harbor

rallied.

Pajevic untied the game in the fourth quarter with his only

three-pointer with 6:53 remaining, then Harbor’s Nick Glassic scored

on a putback with 6:04 on the clock.

Later Lowenthal netted two straight baskets, the last coming at

3:10 as Newport built a 60-53 lead. Following Terence Green’s basket

for Aliso, Newport scored two more field goals in a row -- on a

Lowenthal jumper and Cameron layup to finish a fast break -- to give

the Tars a 64-55 advantage. They led, 66-57, after Rorden’s layup

with 1:45 to play.

“I think (the Wolverines) overcompensated on (guarding) Nedim

Pajevic,” Hirst said. “You have to either take away Nedim or take

away the outside shooters, and they decided to (double-team) Nedim

and take him away. It almost worked.”

After Newport Harbor earned a 12-10 lead at first quarter’s end,

the Tars continued their momentum in the second quarter to build a

23-16 edge, the biggest lead of the first half. Aliso changed to a

zone defense and stormed back to within one point twice, but Harbor

held a 31-28 halftime lead.