Oliver Nakra shines for CdM boys' basketball in his first Battle of the Bay

Oliver Nakra of Newport Harbor drives to the basket as Owen Saukkola defends during the game against Newport Harbor.

By Matt SzaboStaff Writer

Jan. 16, 2025 1:42 PM PT

Share via
- Facebook
- X
- Email

Oliver Nakra got his first taste of the Battle of the Bay boys’ basketball rivalry on Wednesday night.

It felt like a buffet for the Corona del Mar High junior guard.

Nakra, a transfer from Huntington Beach, poured in a game-high 27 points to help the Sea Kings earn a big 60-51 Sunset League win at Newport Harbor.

“All I’ve heard was my teammates saying it was going to be a crazy crowd, crazy environment,” Nakra said. “It’s a small gym, so I knew it was going to be loud in here. I just had to keep my composure.”

CdM's Oliver Nakra (4) reacts to sinking a three-point basket against Newport Harbor on Wednesday night.

Corona del Mar (18-4 overall) rebounded from close losses to Los Alamitos and Edison, finishing out the first half of league play at 4-2. Los Alamitos sits at 6-0 in league, with CdM and Edison tied for second place.

The Sea Kings blitzed the Sailors (14-8, 2-4) early on. Nakra continuously drove inside, making all six of his free throws in a first quarter that ended with the visitors up, 22-9.

“He didn’t grow up with all of these kids from across the bay, so it’s just another basketball game for him,” CdM coach Jason Simco said of Nakra, who made four three-pointers. “We just told him to be aggressive. Last game, we felt he wasn’t aggressive at all, and I’m glad he was aggressive tonight for us. Jackson [Harlan] set big screens for him, and he made shots. He can do that.”

Newport Harbor's Nolan Payne (15) pulls up for a jump shot as Ganon Overfelt defends on Wednesday night.

CdM pushed its lead to 20 points in the third quarter, at 51-31. Sophomore guard Maxwell Scott missed his second of two free throws, but came in to grab the offensive rebound and score.

Newport Harbor would cut the deficit to nine points early in the fourth quarter on a triple by junior guard Antonio Hatziris, but could not get closer.

Senior guard Ganon Overfelt scored 12 points for the Sea Kings, and Scott tallied 11. Harlan had six points and a game-high nine rebounds.

Hatziris made four three-pointers off the bench for the Sailors, sharing team-high honors with junior Gavin Guy as both scored 12 points. Niko Salomon netted 11.

Newport Harbor's Vaughan Casey (30) and CdM's Maxwell Scott hit the deck and plea for the out-of-bounds call on Wednesday.

It was a rough shooting night for Sailors standout senior Jack Berry, who had two points on a fourth-quarter layup. He was blanketed most of the night by CdM junior guard Luke Mirhashemi.

“Jack gave it to us last year at our place,” said Simco of Berry, who scored 24 points in the rivalry matchup last year. “He’s a heck of a player, a heck of a young man. Luke wanted that challenge. We had talked about putting somebody else on Jack, somebody smaller and pesky, and he said, ‘No, coach, I want that assignment tonight.’ He did a heck of a job, but we’ll see him again. Jack’s coming.”

Mirhashemi said there was one very specific reason he wanted the matchup.

Newport Harbor's Jack Berry (11) pulls up for a jumper during the Battle of the Bay basketball game on Wednesday.

“I had to,” he said. “[Berry] got me last year, and I had a year to live with that. He got whatever he wanted, and that hurt for a year.”

Corona del Mar has a bye on Friday night and plays at Marina on Jan. 22. Newport Harbor, which has now lost three straight in league to the three teams ahead of the Sailors in the standings, hosts Marina on Friday night.

“We hope our guys aren’t discouraged,” Newport Harbor coach Bob Torribio said. “We’re certainly not as coaches. I don’t think there’s a coach in the county that would say, ‘Please, let me play Los Al, Edison and Corona del Mar, back to back to back. I’ll sign up for that.’ We battled all three games. We’ll move on to play the second half of league and see what happens.”