Locals face strong tests

Rick Devereux

Home is where the heart is, especially when in a hostile environment.

While Newport Harbor High boys basketball players will have their

hearts, heads and the rest of their bodies in the comfort of Ralph

Reed gymnasium tonight in the second round of the CIF Southern

Section Division II-AA playoffs, Estancia and Costa Mesa boys

hoopsters will be on the road against tough opponents in Division

III-A quarterfinal action.

Newport Harbor (17-9) plays host to No. 3-seeded Pasadena (24-2)

at 7:30. The Sailors have won four straight, including an 89-75

victory over visiting University in Friday’s first round.

While the Tars had a decided height advantage over Uni, Pasadena

will be able to match up in the paint.

The Bulldogs sport four players between 6-foot-6 and 6-4.

Newport has five such players, led by Brett Perrine. The 6-6

senior averages 14.5 points per game, but has been on a tear

recently. Perrine scored 21 in the regular-season finale against

Woodbridge and put in a career-high 35 against University.

Pasadena is riding a 13-game winning streak. The Bulldogs have won

by an average of 15 points during that run, but managed only a 55-54

first-round win over visiting Dos Pueblos.

Coach Larry Hirst said home-court advantage is more about

logistics.

“You don’t have to get on a bus and sit in the rain for two hours

in traffic,” he said. “[The advantage is] not so much on the court as

it is just getting there.”

Estancia (22-5) will play at No. 3-seeded Orange Lutheran at 7:30

p.m. The Eagles have won 13 of their last 14 games. They had a

12-game winning streak halted by Costa Mesa in the regular-season

finale.

The Lancers are 19-6 and have lost three of their last five, but

defeated Duarte, 78-67, in the second round Friday.

Travis Pinick, a 6-7 senior, is the main Orange Lutheran player

Coach Jason Simco wants to shut down.

“We want to bring Pinick out on the perimeter [defensively] so he

has to work on both sides of the court,” Simco said. “He is

left-handed, has a nice shot from the outside and can control the

paint.”

Senior Danny Argumedo, who has not played since he injured his

left knee warming up for a game Feb. 7, participated lightly in

practice Monday and has a new knee brace. Simco, however, believes

Argumedo, who would have matched up with Pinick, will be sidelined at

least another week.

The Lancers defeated the Eagles, 81-49, in the first round last

year.

“If we shoot 50 shots and they shoot 50 shots, we lose,” Simco

said. “But if we shoot 55 and they shot 40, we have a chance. We have

to create turnovers.”

Costa Mesa (18-9), coming off its first playoff win in 42 years,

plays at top-seeded Centennial of Compton (21-5) at 7:30 p.m. The

Apaches, the defending state champions, have won 10 straight.

“They’re excellent,” Coach Ryan Schachter said. “They like to get

up and down floor. They also have a very good big man that can score

inside.”

Yet Schachter said the Mustangs are up to the challenge.

“Our guys believe we can win and I believe we can win,” Schachter

said. “We need to execute our game plan. Of course that’s easier said

than done against the top team in division and one of top teams in

the state.”