Tars can’t shoot out of slump

Newport Harbor can’t hit its shots and struggles again in 46-33 loss to Whitney, its sixth consecutive defeat.NEWPORT BEACH -- The Newport Harbor girls’ basketball team, much like the rest of Newport Beach, was in a heavy fog Friday night.

The Sailors dropped their sixth straight game, losing to Whitney, 46-33, in a nonleague game Friday.

Newport Harbor -- which has struggled all season on offense -- had a difficult time making its open shots, converting 12 of 36 field goal attempts. Despite making extra passes to find the open shot and get good looks, the Sailors could not bury the baskets.

Coach Jenn Thompson was not pleased with the production.

“It was not a good percentage, shooting wise,” Thompson said.

The Wildcats opened the game on a 6-0 run before Newport scored its first point. After a sluggish beginning to the quarter, Amber Munnelly sank two three-pointers. Munnelly’s shots gave the Sailors a 10-9 advantage at the end of the quarter.

Unfortunately for Newport, that would be its last lead in the game.

Foul trouble plagued the Sailors (1-10) in the first half. Whitney was in the double bonus for most of the half and attempted 12 free throws to the Sailors’ two.

The Wildcats (6-8) opened the second quarter by scoring nine straight points. Corinne Schneider’s two free throws -- the Sailors’ first attempts of the game -- stopped the Wildcats’ run with 1:46 remaining in the first half.

The visitors opened the third quarter with five straight points to extend its lead to 13 points.

Whitney Coach David Garcia said he was pleased with his guard play.

“I feel tonight we executed well,” Garcia said. “We knew going in that Newport would have size on us. So we just relied on the guards to run the offense.”

Ashley Erie and Elaine Lai tied for the team lead with 13 points apiece for Whitney.

The Sailors, who have been sailing in rough waters thus far, did have a bright spot with the return of senior Gricelle Cordero, who injured her knee in the second game of the season. The transfer from Connecticut led the Sailors with 13 points -- including all seven of the Tars points in the fourth quarter.

“She is not all the way back,” Thompson said. “She has been running with the team in practice this week, but I want to ease her back in.”

The Sailors will finish 2004 in next week’s San Marcos tournament. The Tars open play against Elsinore Tuesday.

Newport Harbor will open Sea View League play on Jan. 5 at Woodbridge.

Nonleague

Whitney 46,

Newport Harbor 33

Score by Quarters