Newport / Mesa Longhorns Win 3rd Straight National NJB Title

Coach Berry Carter’s 5th grade Newport / Mesa Longhorns secured their 3rd straight National NJB Title defeating Irvine 51 to 50 in All Net competition. The Longhorns favored Longhorns had to fight their way through the loser’s bracket, winning 3 tough games Sunday March 30th to win the title. The NJB National is an invitation only tourney which represents the best 5th graders from Las Vegas, HawaiiSan Diego and Northern California.

Sectionals: Sectional play was comprised of teams from Southern California.

Newport Mesa started the long trek to another national title with a tough draw in Sectionals.

The top 4 teams of the OrangeCounty all net “Blue Division” drew the same section. It proved to be a very tough test for all teams involved.

The Longhorns defeated a tough Rancho Santa Margarita Team in game 1, 61 to 55. Forward Austin Percy proved the difference in this first contest scoring form the post and leading a tough minded defensive attack.

Jake Haar led the Longhorns in facing last years National Finalist, the Tustin Knights. Haar wore down the Knights with a withering press and Haar leading the offensive spurt featuring two 3 pointers. Final score 51 to 38, Longhorns.

The final of the sectionals featured two teams that have become friendly rivals. Irvine Blue features some of the best 5th grade NJB players. Irvine and Newport faced each other twice in the regular season, with the series split 1 to 1. Michael Cage led Newport Mesa with great defense and opportune scoring, as the Longhorns won the Sectional final 54 to 48.

Pool Play for the National Title:

Newport faced a strong Heat team from Ventura in game 1 of Pool play. Tied 15 to 15 at half Newport broke the game open in the second half and won going away 68 to 43. Solid play from Point guard Max Stanley proved the difference. Offensively Stanley brokered the ball into the correct hands, at the correct time, and defensively he led a relentless full court press that finally wore the Ventura team down.

Game 2 proved to be the toughest test for the Longhorns of the entire series. The Las Vegas Fury defeated the Longhorns 61 to 59 on 2 last second free throws.

Harrison Carter almost single handedly led the Longhorns to victory hitting 2 clutch free throws with 3 seconds in the game. His rebounding and scoring throughout kept the Longhorns close.

The loss to the Fury threw the Longhorns into the loser’s bracket. To repeat as champions would require 3 wins on Sunday. All against the best teams from Pool play.

Championship Round:

Game 1. Another Vegas team from Summerlin almost derailed Newport’s Championship hopes. Behind most of the game, Newport rallied in the closing minutes to advance 46 to 35. AustinRidge began a run of great games that would propel him and his teammates through the rest of the tournament. Having to handle the ball against a quick and tall Vegas team, Ridge scored several times in the 4th quarter to give his Longhorns the win.

Game 2 featured the two final’s teams from last year NJB Championship game, the Tustin Knights and Newport. After sweeping the regular season the Longhorns expected to win, but Tustin had different ideas. Tied at 27, forward Landon Knight hit a driving lay-up and a 3 pointer, to propel the Longhorn’s into the finals, 32 to 30.

Finals Game 3:

All season long the Longhorns had played with unquestionable effort. This unrelenting attack proved to much for most teams. The question was; could the Longhorns sustain this effort for 3 games in a matter of 6 hours?

The Irvine Blue secured the other slot in the championship game. Taller by a head than the Longhorn’s front line, Irvine had posed problems for the Longhorns all year.

Irvine opened an 8 point lead just before half. The Longhorns defense came through as Keisean South scored off a steal to cut the lead to 3.

The second half was a back and forth affair. Newport finally gained the upper hand midway through the 4th when a Ben Humphrey’s steal led to a South lay-up to stretch the Longhorn lead to 7. Irvine wouldn’t go away. A 3 point goal cut the lead to 4. Another basket by South off a beautiful Humphrey pass made it 6. Another long 3 by Irvine and the lead was 3 with 50 seconds to go. Another steal and basket by South stretched the lead to 4. With 20 seconds to go and Irvine hit another 3, cutting the lead to 1. Humphrey’s, Ridge and Haar would stall the clock out for the last 20 seconds and secure the win and the Championship for the Longhorns.

The Longhorns championship consummates a tournament that included 8 games and a season that spanned 16 weeks and 33 games. A season which saw the Longhorns finish 29 and 4, winning their league, the sectional tournament, two open tourneys and finally the National NJB Title.