Boys basketball: Curry era brings adjustment

Barry Faulkner

CORONA DEL MAR - First-year Corona del Mar High boys basketball

coach Ryan Curry believes his new system should give his team an edge

this season against opposing coaches who will have to prepare for

something different from the Sea Kings.

But his coaching peers aren’t the only ones having some difficulty

with a little novelty following 15 seasons of structure dictated by

departed varsity coach Paul Orris.

“The kids are responding well,” said Curry, who coached the last seven

years at Nevada Union High in Grass Valley. “But, sometimes, I don’t

think they always understand what I’m asking them to do. I won’t ask them

to do things they’re not capable of doing and if I tell them they’re not

playing hard, it’s because I believe they are capable of doing more. I’m

still trying to get them to the level I think they should be playing, as

opposed to the level they think they can play.”

Just what level the Sea Kings reach in the Pacific Coast League will

depend on several newcomers, since returners Kevin Mancillas, a 6-foot-1

junior, and Eric Glass, a 6-2 senior, played sparingly on last year’s

12-17 squad which finalized Orris’ all-time Newport-Mesa District

victories lead at 229.

Foremost among the newcomers is sophomore Poncho Seaborn, who played

last year on Mater Dei’s freshman team, then soaked up the Monarchs’ CIF

Division I state championship run after being called up to the varsity

for the postseason.

Seaborn and Mancillas (4.6 points per game last season), as well as

former junior varsity MVP Brett Matsen, a 6-0 junior, and 5-8 sophomore

point guard Jay Northridge, are among those Curry is confident will make

the Sea Kings a dangerous perimeter team.

“The strength of this group is perimeter shooting,” Curry said. “But

we may have problems if we want to rely too much on that. Most coaches

will tell you, you have get some easy buckets, which come from getting it

into the post, or on cuts and drives to the basket and getting fouled.”

Mancillas and Seaborn could be the leading three-point threats, though

Curry terms Matsen “a kid who can really fill it up.”

Northridge, whom Curry said can also shoot well, is a pass-first

playmaker, who will be responsible for getting the Sea Kings into Curry’s

motion offense.

“We’ve really struggled running our man offense,” said Curry, who

believes it will take at least a full season for his players to grasp his

complete offensive concept. “And that’s with simplifying things a little

and cutting down on a few reads.”

Defensively, Curry is looking for what he termed more conviction.

“We need to take more pride in our defensive effort,” he said.

Curry said Seaborn has impressed him not only with his skills, but his

work ethic.

“He really moves well defensively and is very quick on his feet,”

Curry said. “And he is a kid who plays hard the whole time.”

Senior Ryan Inman, a 6-3 center, is the leading inside threat and

Curry believes he can hold his own against taller foes.

“He is a really nice player with his back to the basket and he is a

pretty aggressive rebounder,” Curry said. “We’re going to need his inside

presence.”

Curry, however, also foresees a five-guard lineup at times.

“If we have five shooters in the game, we can cause some (matchup)

problems for the opposition,” Curry said.

Juniors Bart Welch and Brandon Sherick-Odom have displayed defensive

strength at the forward spot, where Glass should also contribute.

Sophomore Sean Soans, as well as seniors Luis Najar, Justin Wald and

Sean Hildebrandt should add depth for a team that most believe will need

to battle to finish in the upper echelon of the Pacific Coast League.

The Sea Kings open tonight with a 7 o’clock contest at Back Bay rival

Newport Harbor.

Corona del Mar boys roster

Kevin Mancillas 6-1 Jr.

Poncho Seaborn 6-3 So.

Brett Matsen 6-0 Jr.

Jay Northridge 5-8 So.

Ryan Inman 6-3 Sr.

Eric Glass 6-2 Sr.

Bart Welch 6-0 Jr.

Brandon Sherick-Odom 6-2 Jr.

Luis Najar 6-0 Sr.

Justin Wald 6-0 Sr.

Sean Soans 6-0 So.

Sean Hildebrandt 6-3 Sr.

Coach: Ryan Curry