Sailors handle Knights

Barry Faulkner

With the first of his five Sea View League rivals safely in the

rear-view mirror after a 51-44 road victory Wednesday night to sweep

the season series with Foothill High, Newport Harbor boys basketball

coach Larry Hirst wasn’t in much of a gloating mood.

Instead, after his Sailors (13-8, 5-1 in league) widened the gap

between themselves and the Knights (12-10, 3-3) to two games in the

standings, the ever-diplomatic Hirst went out of his way to

compliment Foothill’s players and staff.

“They do such a good job of running (shooters) off picks,” Hirst

said. “I think (Coach Tom) McCluskey has about 27 different ways of

getting his shooters open and we may have seen 26 of them tonight.”

Perimeter shooting and dibble penetration, however, were about the

only weapons available for the undersized Knights, who came in on a

three-game winning streak, including a 73-64 home triumph over league

co-leader Woodbridge Jan. 22.

Foothill, with no player taller than 6-foot-3, was overwhelmed by

the Sailors’ size, specifically 6-8 senior center Nedim Pajevic, who

amassed 15 points and 12 rebounds. The Tars, who also started 6-6

junior Brett Lowenthal, outrebounded the Knights, 33-18, including a

10-4 edge in offensive boards.

“This league is about matchups,” Hirst said. “It’s kind of screwy

watching tape of Foothill dismantling Woodbridge. Then, you see

Woodbridge dismantle us (a 57-36 verdict Friday at Woodbridge). Then,

to come get a win at Foothill ... “

The defending league champion Sailors, who also defeated Foothill

in a December tournament game, came in focused. With three layups,

two putbacks and two foul shots, the Tars seized a 12-4 advantage

midway through the first quarter.

But Foothill, as it did in a 52-51 league-opening loss at Newport

Jan. 10, went on a 9-0 run to close out the quarter with a 13-12

lead.

The Knights then went cold, missing their first nine shots of the

second quarter, during which time the Sailors rolled up a 12-0 edge

to regain command.

And so it went, back and forth, the rest of the game. But the

Knights never got closer than four.

A 32-foot Andre Pinesett three-pointer to beat the third-quarter

buzzer gave Harbor a 40-30 lead, then a combined 10 points from

senior guard Chase Cameron (six) and Lowenthal helped the vicitors

close it out.

Newport Harbor overcame some early shooting woes (5 for 14 in the

first quarter) to finish 19 of 42 from the field (45.2%). Foothill

converted 19 of 46 field-goal attempts, but was just 3 of 6 from the

line. The Sailors sank 12 of 17 foul shots.

Hirst said defense and rebounding were two staples for his team

Wednesday.

“We like to hang our hat on our defense and if we’re going to

outrebound any team, it’s going to be Foothill, because of our size

advantage,” Hirst said.

Pajevic, collecting quality feeds from teammates in the post, hit

his first six field-goal attempts and finished 67% from the field.

Cameron joined his big man in double digits with 12 points, his

high against league foes this season. He added five rebounds, three

assists and one steal.

Pinesett had nine points, eight rebounds, two assists and one

steal and also shouldered much of the ball-handling duties.

Chad Rorden chipped in eight points, while Lowenthal added four

points and four boards.

Deshaun Edwards, a 6-2 junior, paced the hosts with 16 points, but

he was the lone Knight in double figures.

Foothill scoring leader Brandt Bangs (12.9 points per game coming

in), was held to just one shot in each of the first three periods and

was scoreless until posting his only field goal with 5:44 left in the

game.

Newport will try to close out its week with a second road victory

at Sea View rival Aliso Niguel Friday.