Boys basketball: Sailors win, 63-49

Tony Altobelli

ANAHEIM - With two of its starters out of action -- one for the

first quarter and one for the game -- the Newport Harbor High boys

basketball team was already at a disadvantage. But the Sailors really

wanted to forget to its first loss of the season to El Toro on Saturday.

Harbor’s desire and Tony Melum’s 26 points and 11 rebounds led the

Sailors to a 63-49 pool-play victory over Orange Lutheran Tuesday night

at the Anaheim Convention Center Holiday Classic.

Harbor starter Jamie Diefenbach was ill and senior Aaron Yarnal sat

out the first quarter because of an infraction of team policy.

“We battled through some adversity tonight,” Harbor Coach Larry Hirst

said. “Coming out with a quick lead definitely helped.”

The Sailors (7-1) opened with an 8-0 lead with Melum scoring six of

those points.

“We came out and played defense,” Melum said. “But it was all downhill

from there. We struggled for a while.”

The Sailors carried a 31-16 advantage into halftime as they closed out

the second quarter with an 11-3 run. But the Lancers retaliated in the

third quarter with a 14-4 run and pulled to within five.

Hirst then went back to his starters to build back the big lead. “With

the long tournament,” Hirst said. “I wanted to try new combinations.”

With seven minutes remaining, starters Melum, Greg Perrine, and Steve

Young reentered and outscored the Lancers, 15-10, down the stretch.

“We just wanted to redeem ourselves,” said Perrine, who had 12 points

and seven assists.

Harbor also received help from the bench as Nadim Pajevic grabbed nine

rebounds and Chase Cameron scored six points, including a three-pointer.

Newport will continue pool-play action Thursday against Magnolia at

4:40 p.m.

ANAHEIM CONVENTION CENTER HOLIDAY CLASSIC

First round

Newport Harbor 63, Orange Lutheran 49

Newport Harbor 12 19 12 20 - 63

Orange Lutheran 5 11 19 14 - 49

Newport - Melum 26, Perrine 12, Cameron 6, Spigner 5, Yarnal 5, Young

4, Hill 2, Peterson 2, Pajevic 1.

3 pt. goals - Spigner 1, Cameron 1.

Fouled out - None

Orange Lutheran - Troyer 19, Taylor 8, Goeldl 7, Jones 6, D. Heim 5,

M. Heim 2, Bye 2.

3 pt. goals - Troyer 1, Taylor 1.

Fouled out - Troyer.