Boys basketball: Untapped potential

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - Newport Harbor High boys basketball coach Larry

Hirst lost more assistant coaches than offensive weapons from last year’s

18-9 squad. So, it’s easy to see why the sixth-year head man is excited

about the prospects for his 2000-01 edition.

“I’m very happy with what I see on the floor and how we’ve

progressed,” said Hirst, who bade farewell to three former assistants,

but only one consistent scorer, four-year varsity performer Dustin

Illingworth.

Senior Aaron Yarnal, who averaged 15.4 points en route to

All-Newport-Mesa District and first-team All-Sea View League recognition

as a junior, is a returning stater, as is junior point guard Greg Perrine

(4.9 ppg).

Additionally, 6-foot-6 junior Tony Melum is receiving recruiting

interest from Utah, Oregon State, and Loyola Marymount, after a sophomore

season in which he missed nine games, but averaged 9.6 points off the

bench. Melum scored a career-high 24 in the Tars’ CIF Southern Section

Division II-AA second-round playoff loss to Brea Olinda. He scored in

double figures in 9 of 18 games, after recovering from a broken wrist.

Illingworth, who shared Sea View League and district player of the

year honors, averaged 19.8 points and more than eight rebounds.

But, Hirst believes, the Sailors will be more balanced than last year,

when opponents swarmed Illingworth and Yarnal, daring others to beat

them.

“As a coaching staff, we’re real excited about being able to give

teams some different looks and not be so predictable,” Hirst said.

With Perrine, second-team all-league last season, running the show,

Yarnal shooting and slashing to the basket and Melum facing defenders on

the wing, the Sailors could prove a difficult challenge for any defense.

“It would be very difficult for one player to take over Dustin’s

scoring load,” Hirst said. “But, if everybody takes about 20 or 30% of

it, we should be all right.

“The most exciting thing is, this team has so much potential to be

tapped. This group should get a lot better as the season goes on.”

Erik Peterson, a 6-3 junior up from the junior varsity, is a candidate

to seize a starting spot, while 6-4 senior returner Jordan Spigner is

another probable starter, according to Hirst.

Peterson has shown sound defensive fundamentals in the paint, while

Spigner looks to blossom after learning from the bench last season.

Spigner led the JV in scoring as a sophomore, but scored just 20 points

in 14 games in his debut varsity campaign.

Chase Cameron, a 5-10 sophomore, comes up from the JV to back up

Perrine at the point, while 6-8 sophomore Nedim Pajevic, the junior

varsity MVP last year, showed he could hold his own against varsity

competition in the summer.

Jamie Diefenbach, a 6-7, 205-pound freshman out of Mariners Christian,

joins Illingworth and 1999 graduate Matt Jameson (a sophomore guard at

Miami of Ohio) as freshmen Hirst has summoned to the varsity.

“We’ve been fairly impressed with (Diefenbach’s) defensive skills and

he should be a good rebounder,” Hirst said.

Steve Young, a 6-2 senior, and 6-4 senior post Brad Hill, are up from

the JV to provide depth.

Hirst, assisted by last year’s JV coach, Brian Cottriel, said he likes

this group’s chemistry and improved strength.

“They seem to like each other, so chemistry could be our biggest

strength,” Hirst said.

“And, I’ve really been pleased with how much stronger we’ve gotten.

Cottriel’s diligence with our guys in the weight room has really paid

off.”

The Tars, who will vie in CIF Division I-A, along with Mater Dei,

begin a busy early portion of the season Tuesday night at Huntington

Beach.

“The first three weeks of our season are going to be very difficult,

so it’s very important for us to come out of the blocks strong,” Hirst

said. “We have three games in five days the first week, then we have

tournaments the next two weeks.”

Newport is expected to contend for a Sea View crown, though Hirst

tabbed Woodbridge the favorite.

Newport Harbor boys basketball

10 Chase Cameron 5-10 So.

11 Greg Perrine 5-11 Jr.

12 Erik Peterson 6-3 Jr.

21 Jordan Spigner 6-4 Sr.

24 Steve Young 6-2 Sr.

25 Aaron Yarnal 6-0 Sr.

33 Nedim Pajevic 6-0 So.

44 Tony Melum 6-6 Jr.

45 Brad Hill 6-4 Sr.

50 Jamie Diefenbach 6-7 Fr.

Coach: Larry Hirst