Dolphins take consolation title

The East Huntington Beach Dolphins bucked the odds this season and

capped their 2001 campaign by winning the boys’ Division II consolation

championship at last weekend’s National Junior Basketball Championship

Series.

Sporting a roster that included seven of 10 players who had never

played organized basketball, the Dolphins, comprised of several members

of the Huntington Beach Dolphins Jr. All-American Football team, were put

into a 16-team Championship Series tournament bracket. Thirteen of the

teams had just one loss!

But that didn’t detour East Huntington Beach, which entered the series

with a 6-5 record. The Dolphins split their first two playoff games and

then defeated the Lake Elsinore Orangemen in the consolation championship

final.

The defensive battle featured 25 blocked shots. Ceseare Nieto and

Dhane Stephenson led the defense and Andy Claveria hit seven of eight

free throws, as well as a key three-point shot in the final half.

“These young men worked hard all season,” East Huntington Beach Coach

Dave Small said. “They practiced in the rain, they practiced in cold

weather and due to stage two and three power alerts, they even practiced

in the dark. If ever there was a team of kids that deserved to win today,

these kids fit that bill.”

Other players that contributed for the Dolphins include: Justin

Garcia, Antonio Small, Preston Harper, Kevin Christie, Tommy Nadolski,

Barrett Sheldon and Dan Nelson.