Youth Scene

Heat places second

The Newport-Mesa Heat entered the final National Junior Basketball Division II tournament of the year which matched first- and second-place finishers of the Championship Tournament, in the Super Championship Tournament.

The Heat dropped the first game to the La Habra Legends despite a furious, fifth-period comeback led by Derek Mathuny who put up nine points, hitting shot after shot, including a three-pointer from the right wing. The Legends won the game, 48-32.

In the second tournament game, the Heat trailed the Rancho Santa Margarita Spurs for three periods before mounting a comeback in the fourth period. John Holland was big in keeping the Heat close by pulling down six rebounds in two periods (he led the Heat in rebounding with nine for the tournament). Gianluca Vassalli had the only Heat points In the third period. In the fourth period, Drew Johnston hit two quick field goals and added two points from the free-throw line. Brett Super chipped in by going five of six from the foul line. Mitch Dean, Patrick Jennings and Krishan Arora clamped down on the Spurs offense and the Heat built a nine-point lead.

The Spurs went to a full-court press in the last period and closed the gap, but points by Johnston, Mathuny, Dean and Jennings kept the Heat ahead until the final horn and earned them a 34-30 victory.

The Heat finished their extended season with a second-place finish in the NJB Super Championship Tournament. Coach Mark Holland handed out team awards after the game, noting that every player had elevated his game during the season. Players and parents cheered the coaches and the other boys for an entertaining, competitive, instructive and fun season of basketball.

— Greg Super

All-Stars win two

Every player found his way into the scoring column Sunday as the Newport-Mesa fifth-grade boys’ All-Star team won its first two games at the NJB Irvine All-Star Tournament.

Newport-Mesa defeated the Irvine All-Stars, 42-30, in the first game, then beat the Villa Park All-Stars, 40-27, in the second game.

Fritz Miller and Jake Pearson repeatedly set each other up with nice interior passing, while Brendan Greenwald, Jack McClintock, Drew Johnston, Zack Blaine and Chase Grippo drained shots from a 15-to-20 foot range. Billy Shaw had two nice plays back-to-back, handing off a nice assist on the “scissors” play to Brett Super and a putting in a nice baby skyhook the next time down court.

Danny Rogers fought his way through traffic for both points and rebounds.

Miller scored 13 points to lead Newport-Mesa.

— Greg Super