Richard Dunn
Newport Harbor High boys basketball coach Larry Hirst kept waiting
for Temple City to come back Monday night. And kept waiting and
waiting and waiting.
"I scouted (the Rams) the other night and they had 49 points by
the end of the third quarter," Hirst said. "In their first game, they
were unbelievable on threes, and (Kevin Sweeney) had 37 points. So I
thought, 'When is their comeback coming?' I figured they'd start
hitting some open shots."
Fact of the matter is, if Temple City hadn't secured four layups
late in the fourth quarter, the final count would be greater than the
Sailors' already lopsided victory, 64-29, in the first round of pool
play in the Bill Reynolds Tournament at Newport Harbor.
The Sailors (2-0) enjoyed a distinct height advantage with
6-foot-8 senior Nedim Pajevic and 6-3 senior forward Nick Glassic,
along with 6-6 junior Brett Lowenthal as the first player off the
bench.
Temple City (2-1), which has no player taller than 6-1 but entered
the game with wins over Arcadia and San Gabriel, struggled from the
field, shooting only 16% in the first half (4 of 24) and 20% in the
contest (11 of 54). The Rams were also a woeful 5 of 14 from the
free-throw line.
In the game's opening 3:58, the Sailors built a 10-0 lead and
owned six offensive rebounds, while the Rams were guilty of four
turnovers. Newport Harbor led, 12-0, before the visitors got on the
scoreboard with 1:39 remaining in the first quarter.
The Sailors, who outscored the Rams, 16-6, in the opening eight
minutes, held a 15-4 rebounding edge in the first quarter.
Pajevic, who dominated underneath on both ends of the floor,
finished with 14 points, 15 rebounds (five offensive), three blocked
shots and one steal in three quarters of work.
Glassic, who was 3 of 3 from the field in the first half,
contributed six rebounds (five offensive), two assists, one steal and
one blocked shot.
Robert Hunter, a 6-1 junior, came off the bench to score nine
points, while Lowenthal, 6-foot freshman Todd Lowenthal and 6-5
senior Jair Hernandez each added eight points.
Senior guard Chase Cameron sparked Newport Harbor's fast break
with four assists in three quarters, along with seven rebounds and
one steal. Chad Rorden chipped in with five rebounds and two steals.
Newport Harbor managed a 31-12 halftime lead, then blitzed Temple
City in the third quarter, 13-2, before Sweeney (game-high 16 points)
scored for the visitors with 0:03 left.
"We didn't want to open the door for them and give them any
