Tars feel fine after OT triumph

COSTA MESA — Austin Bagby and Trevor Davis battled some sort of stomach virus Saturday, when Newport Harbor High played at Estancia in a nonleague boys’ basketball game. But in the end the Sailors were the ones who left the Eagles feeling ill.

Newport Harbor outscored Estancia, 13-3, in overtime to earn a 55-45 victory in a spirited Newport-Mesa District matchup.

The Sailors, namely Bagby, worked hard late to gain the advantage and made the Wes Shaw storyline seem like an afterthought. Shaw, an Estancia senior, transferred in from Newport Harbor because of what he said was personal issues.

He didn’t score against his former team. He grabbed seven rebounds before fouling out just 14 seconds into the overtime period. Because of Shaw, Newport Harbor junior Cody Caldwell called the win emotional.

“We had one of our former players over there which just kind of puts some hate on their team for us,” said Caldwell, who led the Sailors (8-7) with 16 points. “We knew we were going to win the game [before overtime started]. We came out fired up and just ready to go. We got up and just started playing good defense.”

Bagby, who scored 10 points, stood strong to draw an offensive foul with 24 seconds left in regulation. He then missed a 12-foot jump shot with 10 seconds left in regulation. But he blocked Davon Joyner’s shot on a driving layup at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

Bagby then scored four points and also produced an assist in overtime. Caldwell had six points in the extra period.

Seniors Chris Anderson and Chad Seeber contributed 10 points each for the Sailors.

“In the beginning, I have to give Estancia credit, they took us out of a lot of stuff we do,” Newport Harbor Coach Larry Hirst said. “I just thought, ‘Oh geez.’ We didn’t have a very good tournament here [14th in the 16-team Estancia Coast Classic] this past week, and I thought, ‘We’ve seen this before.’

“But I think as the game progressed, surprisingly being kind of the walking wounded we were, we got stronger.”

While the Sailors gained strength, the Eagles (9-8) faded down the stretch. Estancia was 12th in its own tournament, but couldn’t find the clutch plays to finish ahead of Newport Harbor Saturday night.

Senior Kohl Jones led the Eagles with 16 points, 14 in the first half when Estancia led, 25-22. Joyner, who was eight for 12 from the free-throw line, added 15 points.

“They just kind of wore us out, their big guys especially,” Estancia Coach Agustin Heredia said. “We were in foul trouble for the majority of the game and it finally caught up with us. Wes Shaw fouling out was big. He never really got in any rhythm.”

The Sailors appeared in sync in overtime. They went on a 11-1 run in the final 3:05, shortly after Kevin Thomas’ layup helped Estancia tie Newport, 44-44.

“This was a good game to have before league because I think it’s a league-type atmosphere,” said Hirst, whose team will play host to Corona del Mar Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Nonleague

Newport Harbor 55,

Estancia 45 OT

SCORE BY PERIODS

NH – Caldwell 16, Anderson 10, Seeber 10, Bagby 10, Friend 4, Deyan 3, Davis 2.

3-pt. goals – Anderson 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

Est – Jones 16, Joyner 15, Thomas 8, Holmes 5, Cherney 1.

3-pt. goals – Thomas 2, Jones 2, Joyner 1, Holmes 1.

Fouled out – Shaw.

Technicals – None.