Boys basketball: Tars closing in on crown

Barry Faulkner

While the Newport Harbor High boys basketball team attempts to end

the Sea View League title race this week, the PCL has altered its

final-week schedule to allow for potential playoffs to jar its

consistently clogged standings.

Coach Larry Hirst’s Sailors can clinch their first league crown since

1990 with a sweep of Laguna Hills (at home Wednesday) and second-place

Woodbridge (at the Warriors’ gym Friday). Both games are 7:30 p.m.

Hirst’s next win would be his 100th (the first 20 coming at Edison) and a

pair of wins would wrap up the Tars’ first outright league title since

1985. The Sailors finish the week Saturday with a nonleague game at

Whittier Christian.

Harbor (16-6, 5-0 in league), is ranked No. 10 in CIF Southern Section

Division II-AA. The Tars have won 11 of their last 13 and six straight

Sea View contests, dating back to last year.

The Sailors topped Laguna Hills, 45-40, Jan. 12. They needed overtime to

handle Woodbridge, 59-57, Jan.14 at Newport.

Even with a loss to Laguna Hills, the Sailors would clinch at least a

share of the league crown with a win over Woodbridge. The same scenario

would also assure the Tars the league’s No. 1 spot in the playoffs, since

the best Woodbridge could do would be a first-place tie and the Tars own

the tiebreaker, due to sweeping the Warriors.

Meanwhile in the PCL, Estancia attempts to battle back into the upper

division with 7 p.m. road games with Laguna Beach (Wednesday) and Corona

del Mar (Friday).

Costa Mesa visits league-leading University Wednesday at 7 p.m., when it

can gain a share of first place with a win. Coach Bob Serven’s Mustangs

(17-6, 3-2), ranked No. 7 in CIF Division III-AA, are also one win away

from equaling the program’s single-season record set by the (18-8) team

in 1965-66.

Mesa handed Uni its only PCL defeat, 75-68, Jan. 12, but the Mustangs

have not won a game on the court in three tries since (though Laguna

Beach forfeited one of those wins for using an ineligible player).

During their recent skid, Mesa has averaged just more than 51 points. It

had averaged more than 70 in winning 13 of its previous 14 contests.

Estancia (14-9, 2-3) comes off a huge 66-55 win over cross-town rival

Costa Mesa Friday. The Eagles outplayed Laguna Beach for all but the

final moments of a first-round loss (later reversed by forfeit).

With two wins this week, Coach Rich Boyce’s Eagles could wind up tied for

first, or at least in sole possession of second.

CdM (16-6, 3-2), ranked No. 4 in CIF Division III-AA, is looking to

repeat its 60-42 first-round triumph over Estancia.

The PCL, with the exception of one Wednesday game, will play Tuesday and

Thursday the final week, freeing Friday up for potential playoff games.