Seaview league 124

SoCal High School & Prep Report

Sea View League: El Toro, Newport
And Sta. Margarita Win--(January 25, 1998)

Here's the details, highlights and scores for the Sea View League games from Friday:

First, the scores:

El Toro 44, Corona del Mar 43
Newport Harbor 53, Irvine 48
Santa Margarita 80, Woodbridge 53

Now, the details:

El Toro 44, Corona del Mar 43

With 24 seconds remaining in the game, and an opportunity to win it, no one was surprised when CdM failed to exploit several open looks at the hoop, instead missing a last second layup. Also not surprisingly, for the third straight time in Sea View League competition, CdM lost, and also had no one scoring in double figures.

We don't mean to be critical, but when the other team is ahead by one point, and switches defenses, if you're the coach, you call time-out and settle your players down to run a play. CdM Coach Paul Orris blamed himself for not calling a timeout to set up that last play, after El Toro switched to a man-to-man defense. with just 0:24 remaining.

How much is CdM struggling? Well, in the last five league games, only two players, Tim Thurman with 11 points against Woodbridge and Dennis Alshuler with 10 against Irvine , have scored ten or more points. The Sea Kings, who were thought to be such good prospects in the pre-season with the addition of Alex Jekeli (6'-9" Sr. C), a foreign-exchange student from Germany. But things have not worked out as planned, and so far, CdM is only 5-16 on the season, and has won just one game in league play, and they now sport a 1-4 record in Sea View competition.

This game looked like it might break the run of bad luck. In fact, CdM led after three quarters of play, and going into the fourth it was 34-30 CdM. But just as quickly as they were able to establish a lead, in the final eight minutes they were literally blown out to sea (terrible pun) as they were outscored on their 14-9. Even though they were outscored in the fourth, the game was tied four times in the final quarter, the first time coming when El Toro (14-7, 3-2) sank four free throws to open the fourth quarter for a deadlock at 34.

Alex Jekeli got into foul trouble early, and only played about a minute in the in the fourth quarter, fouling out shortly after coming back in with 4:00 left to play, and CdM still leading, 37-36. Jekeli, Alshuler and senior guard Ben Shaffer each scored eight points for CdM, while Thurman had seven.

Just before Jekeli fouled out, CdM guard Nick Gabriel, whose two three-pointers gave his team new life each time, netted a trey with 6:51 to play, giving the Sea Kings a 37-34 edge. Alshuler (eight rebounds) scored on a power move to the hoop with 4:18 left to put CdM ahead, 39-38. Thurman then hit a 19-foot j, putting CdM ahead again 41-40.

On the next possession CdM missed a layup, but El Toro couldn't score either and the Sea Kings had another chance, down 42-41. On a very quick pass from Alshuler, Thurman laid it in, and with under a minute to play, CdM led again by one, 43-42. But then Gabriel fouled Wulfemeyer going for a loose ball to put the El Toro on the line. He made them both, putting El Toro ahead with just 24 seconds to play. Following those two free throws, Cdm brought the ball up court for a possible game-winning shot, but was forced to go to a passing game given the new look on defense which El Toro was showing. Eventually, with the clock almost out, Conover was forced to shoot with just 1 second left on the clock. The shot missed, and Wulfemeyer did a "touch" rebound to half court as time ran out.

Orris realized his mistake after the game, telling the LA Times, "If there was one thing I'd change, when (the Chargers) went into a man (defense) right there, it would be to call timeout and change the strategy, and also let our guys realize how much time was left. We had a couple of looks (but didn't take a shot). Conover had a look, but we also had other opportunities."

The scoring for El Toro was Richards with 10, Butler 2 points, Wulfemeyer 10, Robertson 12, Johansen 0, Parish 4--including one three pointer, Marks 4, and DeCoite 2.

For Corona del Mar, Jekeli had 8, Alshuler 8, Shaffer 8, Conover 6--including a three--, Gabriel 7--including two three-pointers, and Thurman had 6 points. Simon, Richardson, and Cooper did not score.

In other Sea View League games:

Newport Harbor 53, Irvine 48

Scotty Archbold and Dustin Illingworth of Newport Harbor both had 14 points as NH improved it's recordd to 14-7 overall and 3-2 in league play. Archbold, who had not played in 14 days due to a severe ankle sprain, scored 10 of his 14 points in the final 6:44 to help the visitors rally for a 53-48 league triumph.

The colossal road win, which featured 14 lead changes, helped
the Newport Harbor Tars --also known as the Sailors-- remain tied for second with El Toro, which beat Corona del Mar. Those two teams will meet this coming Friday night January 30, 1998 at the Harbor gym Friday to open the second round of league play.

Archbold (6'-0" Sr. G) drilled a pair of free throws with 29 seconds left to put the Sailors up, 51-48, then made a layup following a steal. He had warmed up before Harbor's home victory Wednesday against Woodbridge, did not start, and had only four points on 1-of-5 shooting through the first three quarters. He was 3 of 3 from the field and hit all four foul shots in the final eight minutes. It evidently took him about half a game to get warm, but once he did, he was very effective.

Dustin Illingworth, a sophomore guard, hit 10 of his 14 points in the second half too. Matt Jameson, had seven points before fouling out with 2:33 left, and Adam Hearlson also scored his four points in the final six minutes. Gary Robinson had five fourth-quarter points, including a very important three-pointer with 1:35 to play which put NH ahead 47-46.

Irvine's Chris Ferguson, exploded for 12 of his 19 points in the third quarter, and responded to Robinson's three pointer with a 6' leaning bank shot with 1:19 to give Irvine its final lead of the game. Illingworth then drove the lane, and hit Hearlson for the lay-up for a 49-48 lead.

Hearlson, who had four fouls at the time, then stepped up and took a charge from Ferguson and with Archbold passing to Hearlson, Ferguson had no chance to bring Irvine any closer.

This game got going very slowly as the scoring at the end of the first quarter was only 6-4, with Newport Harbor barely ahead. And then taking their "lead" so to speak from each other, the teams went into the half tied at 19-19, certainly not a tour de force of offensive skill. In the third, Irvine outscored Newport Harbor 14-8 to take their biggest lead of the game, but in the fourth, Newport went on the aforementioned scoring run, 26-15 to take the lead for good.

For Newport Harbor, Archbold and Illingworth both had 14, Robinson 8, including two three pointers, Jameson 7, Hearlson 4, Limon 2, Ward 2, and Nicasio 2 points. Hernandez did not score.

For Irvine, Ferguson had 19, including a three, Mavros also had a three and finished with 11, Moore 6, Miller 4, Aquino 4, Hardeman 2, Carlson 2.

Santa Margarita 80, Woodbridge 53

T.J. Williams and Ryan Forehan-Kelly each scored 15 oints for the No. 1 Santa Margarita Eagles, who are now 20-0 overall, and 5-0 in league play. The game was played at Santa Margarita, and with the loss, Woodbridge dropped to 1-4 in league play.