Simpson clutch

The Newport-Mesa seventh-grade All-Net boys basketball team went

3-1 in the National Junior Basketball Holiday Classic to take third

place.

P.J. Simpson hit two free throws with five seconds remaining to

give Newport a 62-61 victory against Murrieta in the third-place

game. Joe Eberhard led the scoring with 17 points followed by Ali

Meshkin (10), Kyle Caldwell (nine), Robbie Boyer (eight) Will Kelly

and Simpson (seven apiece) and John Swift (four).

Newport lost to Fullerton in overtime in the semifinals, 41-39.

In the first game Newport overcame a 13-point deficit with four

minutes remaining to send the game to overtime and went on to win,

51-48, against Laguna Hills.

Jamie McGee led the scoring with 22 points with Boyer adding 12

and R.J. D’Cruz tallying six. In Game 2 Newport held off Murrieta,

47-45, with McGee leading the way in scoring with 15 points followed

by Simpson (eight), Boyer (seven), Caldwell (six) with Jonathan Howse

and Eberhard each tallying four points apiece.

Newport puts its 4-0 league record on the line against Riverside

Jan. 5 at Arroyo Valley High.

In eighth-grade boys action:

* Newport pulled ahead with two minutes to go and finished with a

49-41 victory over San Clemente. Both teams matched each other

basket-for-basket for a majority of the game.

Nick Jones led Newport in scoring with 17 points while Hunt Rychel

added 12. Strong defense was provided by Adam Smith and Junior

Hernandez as Newport improved its league record to 2-1 with a game

against Trabuco Hills at OCC Jan. 6 up next.