Newport, CdM split in Battle of the Bay

Hirst becomes the Newport Harbor boys’ basketball program’s all-time winningest coach in Battle of the Bay win.NEWPORT BEACH -- Newport Harbor High’s boys’ basketball team played tenacious defense, overcame a four-point deficit in the second quarter, and defeated Back Bay rival Corona del Mar, 51-35, in the season opener for both teams Friday night.

In the process, the Sailors helped Coach Larry Hirst earn his 170th victory at Newport Harbor -- a new school record in boys’ varsity basketball. Hirst surpassed the 169 wins of Jerry DeBusk, who coaches at Santa Margarita High now.

Hirst’s record at Newport Harbor is 170-100.

“The special part of this is being mentioned in the same sentence as DeBusk,” Hirst said. “I was playing at Edison High when he was the head coach here.”

Newport (1-0) held CdM (0-1) to seven second-quarter points and six third-quarter points. Sailors defenders stepped in front of CdM’s penetrators and planted their feet at opportune times.

“We took a lot of charges tonight. They showed they were willing to sacrifice for the good of the cause,” Hirst said. “They took five or six charges. Sometimes you don’t get that in a month.”

“Offensively, we panicked against their pressure,” CdM Coach Ryan Curry said. “They closed the lanes and we didn’t adjust.”

Six-foot-6 senior Dennis Heenan paced the Sailors with 19 points, including three three-pointers.

The Sea Kings led, 17-13, after a three-pointer by Ryan Lance. The teams were tied at 17-17 late in the second quarter, when Newport went on a 7-2 run. A layup by Weston Dunlap off a pass from Jordan Schunk, Heenan’s three-pointer and Robert Koon’s tip-in gave the Sailors a 24-19 halftime lead.

The Sailors were 7 of 8 from the free-throw line in the third quarter and outrebounded CdM, 16-9, in the second half. Dunlap, a 6-foot-7 junior center, had a game-high nine rebounds for Newport.

“We did a great job screening out their big guys,” Hirst said.

Nonleague

Newport Harbor 51,

Corona del Mar 35

Score by Quarters