Sailors Can’t Hold Off Santa Margarita Rally

The road in the Sea View League can be treacherous, perhaps more so than in any other league in the county.

So no one could blame the Newport Harbor boys’ basketball team for being relieved to leave the Santa Margarita gymnasium for perhaps the final time Wednesday night.

The fourth-ranked Sailors, who held a four-point lead with five minutes to play, lost to the third-ranked Eagles by committing three turnovers and a costly foul down the stretch.

Santa Margarita’s 52-47 victory was the 399th for Coach Jerry DeBusk and avenged a home loss to Newport Harbor a year ago.

Santa Margarita (17-2, 4-0) is expected to leave the Sea View for an all-Catholic league next season, and it won’t be too soon for the Sailors (18-3, 3-1), who led, 47-43, after a steal and a three-point play by Alan Limon with 5 minutes 15 seconds left in the game.

But two Newport Harbor turnovers eventually led to five points by Eagle forward Spencer Gloger, whose two free throws with about a minute left put the Eagles in front for good, 48-47.

The next time down the floor Newport Harbor center Adam Hearlson lost the handle on a pass from guard Matt Jameson and Santa Margarita controlled.

Kelly Kramer had 15 points and 12 rebounds for Santa Margarita.

“Kelly really stepped it up tonight,” said Gloger, who led all scorers with 19 points. “Newport did a good job to keep us out of our offense in the first half.”