Youth basketball: CdM wins second championship

Joseph Boo

NEWPORT BEACH - The only regret Corona del Mar Junior High’s eighth

grade boys basketball coach Elbert Davis had, after his team won the

Newport-Mesa championship with a 61-41 win over Ensign on Friday, is that

the kids probably played their last game together.

“It’s too bad they won’t be on the same team next year,” Davis, who also

coaches CdM High’s varsity girls basketball team said, “Because then CdM

would have a great future.”

The Junior High version of CdM flaunted its talent to host Ensign,

jumping out to a 21-8 first-quarter lead before cruising.

For CdM, this is its second consecutive championship, after winning the

seventh-grade version last year. They also wrapped up a perfect 6-0

season.

“They wanted to duplicate that feeling,” Davis said. “They played with

great intensity.”

Another thing that drove CdM, according to Davis, was Ensign.

“Ensign was talking a lot,” Davis said, “and our kids were really pumped

up. They wanted to stick it to them.”

CdM’s starters scored all 61 points. Aaron Asslalo and Patrick Joyce both

scored 18. Andre Pinesett scored 17 and Alex Northridge hit a

three-pointer. Although the scoring was not balanced, Davis praised the

team’s group effort.

“One thing about this team is that they share the ball,” he said.

“They’re great players, but they also look to pass.”

Unlike CdM, Ensign might have a few more games left in them. Ensign Coach

Mike McGuire is considering entering his team in outside tournaments

later this year.

“Normally, I wouldn’t consider it,” he said. “But this is such a good

group of kids, I wouldn’t mind playing more games with them.”

Ensign, which started the year with 26 players on the roster, finished

the season 5-2, with both losses coming to CdM. Jacob Mastriana led the

SeaBees with 14 points. Jesse Forsythe was next with six points, and Tim

Baker and Chris Fleming scored four. Although, he didn’t score any

points, McGuire was happy with the play of Brian Campos. Brian’s brother,

Hector Campos scored two.

Although Ensign didn’t win, it was still a positive experience for the

players, and they weren’t down at all, according to McGuire.

“We had a very successful season,” he said. “We started out with 26 kids

and ended up with 19. This is a great group of kids. I don’t mind losing

with them.”

Eighth Grade Championship

Corona del Mar 61, Ensign 41

Score by Quarters

Corona del Mar 21 13 16 11 - 61

Ensign 8 9 8 16 - 41

Corona del Mar - Asslalo 18, Joyce 18, Pinesett 17, Northridge 3, Pancho

3.

3-pt. goals - Northridge 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - Coach Davis.

Ensign - Mastriana 14, Forsythe 6, Fleming 4, Baker 4, DiNucci 2, H.

Campos 2, Walker 2, Lean 2, Encinias 2, Truxton 2, Milosavjevic 1.

3-pt. goals - None.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.