The Basketball experience Newport Harbor’s Varsity Boys Basketball’s 2015-2016 season can be described as thrilling. When they beat Huntington Beach in overtime in early February, they became the seventh Newport Harbor team to record 20 wins. When they defeated Edison 61-51 at home, they ended a 15-game losing streak to the Chargers. It was an awesome season but it came to a disappointing finish with the first round playoff loss to Perris High School 52-44. In the words of sophomore six foot seven inches center Josh Phillips, “it was a quick playoff experience.” The Sailor boys finished 6-4 in league and 21-7 in the entire season, the team felt “pretty good” about the direction their season went. The highlight of the varsity season was definitely the win over Edison at home. It was the first victory for the Sailors against Edison since the 2007-2008 season and, as they split the season series in a tie for 2nd place, a coin flip determined the league’s No.2 entry into the CIF Southern Section Division 2AA playoffs. The Sailors lost the coin toss and ended up having to face a more difficult playoff opponent than Edison. It was the 4th year in a row that the Sailors have made the CIF Playoffs. The Newport Harbors Junior Varsity Basketball team also had a good season that ended as the boys finished second in league with a 6-4 league record and an all around record of 21-6.

“We started off good at first but [we] did not finish well,” said JV starter RJ Haskell. Haskell described his JV experience as all round “good support from the guys.” The highlight of the JV season came as they defeated cross-town rival Corona Del Mar in the Battle of the Bay game. The Newport Harbor Freshmen Basketball team had an epic season finishing 10-0 in league with first place and 24-0 in the entire season. This was thought the first undefeated boys basketball at any level ever. In the words of freshman James McConnaughey, “it was fun winning” and their coach, Coach Offer “an amazing coach and he helped us be prepared for every game.”

Pictures: Left- JV Team, Right- Charlie Stassel on Varsity

Written by Eann McKasson