Boys basketball: Turning the page

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - The two Newport-Mesa boys basketball players in

Saturday’s Orange County All-Star Game at Orange Coast College can save

the stat sheet in good conscience.

For though Corona del Mar High senior Kevin Hansen and Estancia senior

Jon Cantrell have produced more in countless games during their standout

prep careers, they generated enough statistics to keep their substantial

rooting sections entertained.

Hansen finished with five points, three rebounds, two steals and two

blocked shots and was on the floor down the stretch as the South rallied,

only to lose, 84-76, to the North.

Cantrell, who unlike Hansen will play college basketball, chipped in

three points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Both connected on a three-pointer, though they combined to hit just 3 of

14 field-goal attempts.

Still, despite coming up short on the scoreboard, they both could smile

after receiving their commemorative plaques following the contest.

“It was fun,” said Cantrell, who was limited to only four field-goal

tries in a game dominated by transition baskets, drives, putbacks and

post moves.

“I wasn’t able to get many shots off, but I tried to play defense and

play hard.”

Hansen, a Stanford-bound volleyball setter whose current commitment to

the CdM volleyball team has dulled the basketball sharpness which enabled

him to twice earn All-CIF Southern Section honors and share this year’s

Newport-Mesa District Player of the Year distinction, was scoreless the

first 30 minutes.

But the 6-foot-4 swing man cashed in a Cantrell assist with a 10-foot

jumper just outside the lane with 10:01 left in the second half to break

the ice. He also drained a three-pointer from the left corner with 8:08

left, which capped a 7-0 South run and pulled the designated hosts to

within 11 points of the North.

The Rebels closed to within 80-76 with 40 seconds remaining, but the

North scored the final four points on layups, the latter a dunk by Most

Valuable Player and halftime dunk competition winner Robert Turner, a 6-9

standout from Western High.

“They surprised me,” Cantrell said of the Yankees, who took advantage of

a South field-goal drought of nearly six minutes in the first half to

build a 44-36 intermission lead.

“We were favored by two points, but they just hit their shots,” said

Cantrell, who netted his trademark three ball from the left corner with

2:28 left in the first half. He plans to play at the community college

level, most likely at Orange Coast.

The North, which used superior size to score most of its points in the

paint, used a pair of 7-2 runs early in the second 20-minute half to take

command and end a four-game South winning streak. The South leads the

series, 21-14.

“I think I had some nerves in the first half,” Hansen said. “I wish I

would have gotten in a little more, so I could have gotten warm out

there. But I was glad (South Coach Roger Holmes of Marina) left me in at

the end.”

Arizona-bound Travis Hanour, the Pacific Coast League Player of the Year

from Laguna Beach, paced the South with 14 points, six blocks, five

assists and five rebounds.

Marina’s Dustin Kaatz had a game-high 17 points for the Rebels.

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS

Orange County All-Star Game

North 84, South 76

North - Turner 14, Brown 13, Grgas 12, Melton 12, Azubuike 9, Purnell 8,

Wilber 6, Raco 5, Wieldon 3, Winter 2.

3-pt. goals - Brown 3, Wilber 2.

Fouled out - Purnell.

Technicals - None.

South - Kaatz 17, Hanour 14, Fields 12, Graham 8, James 7, Hansen 5,

Peterson 4, Manker 4, Cantrell 3, Lawrence 2.

3-pt. goals - Hanour 2, Cantrell 1, Hansen 1, Kaatz 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.