Dilayehu Wempe (42) of Los Alamitos scores over the defense of Gavin Guy (24) of Newport Harbor in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dash Bastedo (20) of Newport Harbor attempts to recover his missed slam dunk as Wesley Trevino (4) of Los Alamitos looks on in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. A technical was called on Bastedo after the shot. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Liam Gray (1) of Los Alamitos misses a shot against of Jack Berry..(11) and Dash Bastedo (20) of Newport Harbor in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dash Bastedo (20) of Newport Harbor slips past Tyler Lopez Los Alamitos (22) to score on a layup in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Liam Gray (1) of Los Alamitos scores over Dash Bastedo (20) of Newport Harbor in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Trent Minter (33) of Los Alamitos scores against Newport Harbor in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Tyler Lopez (22) Los Alamitos signals the crowd after he hit a 3-point shot against Newport Harbor in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dilayehu Wempe (42) of Los Alamitos scores a 3-pointer over the defense of Dean Davis (10) of Newport Harbor in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Gavin Guy (24) of Newport Harbor attempts to get past the defense of ..Dilayehu Wempe (42) of Los Alamitos..in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Samori Guyness (5) of Los Alamitos draws a foul on a layup against Newport Harbor in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Trent Minter (33) of Los Alamitos, left, blocks the attempted shot by Riggs Guy (22) of Newport Harbor in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jack Berry (11) of Newport Harbor passes over Liam Gray (1) of Los Alamitos ..in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dilayehu Wempe (42) of Los Alamitos scores over the defense of Cole Leinart..(33) of Newport Harbor in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The referee isnxe2x80x99t buying the argument by Los Alamitos head coach Nate Berger during a game against Newport Harbor..in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor head coach Bob Torribio gives the thumbs up to his team during a game against Los Alamitos in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos High students cheer on other students participating in an In-N-Out burger eating contest during halftime of a boys basketball game against Newport Harbor at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dean Davis (10 ) of Newport Harbor is pressured by the defense of ..Dilayehu Wempe (42) and Trent Minter (33) of Los Alamitos in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
LOS ALAMITOS — The depth on the Los Alamitos boys basketball team came through Friday, as it often has this season, as the Griffins defeated Newport Harbor 77-64 in a Surf League game at Los Alamitos High.
With five players scoring in double figures, the Griffins clinched at least a share of a second consecutive Surf League championship. They shared the title last season with Edison.
Los Alamitos, the highest-ranked public-school team in the Orange County Top 25 at No. 4, is 21-4 overall and 4-0 in league with two league games remaining. No. 9 Newport Harbor is 21-5 overall and 1-3 in league.
Trent Minter, a 6-6 junior who was All-Orange County second team last season, did not start Friday because of an ankle sprain. He played sparingly, scoring four points. Minter has scored 20 or more points in five games this season.
Tyler Lopez, a 6-5 sophomore, led Los Alamitos with 16 points and had six rebounds. Senior guard Dilayehu Wempe scored 14 points. Juniors Samori Guyness and Wes Trevino scored 12 points each.
Liam Gray, a junior who also was All-County second team last season, scored 11 points.
Newport Harbor 6-3 sophomore Cole Leinart scored 23 points with six rebounds. Jack Berry, Dash Bastedo and Riggs Guy scored 12 points apiece for the Sailors.
The win was Nathan Berger’s 100th as the Los Alamitos coach. He was particularly pleased with how the Griffins battled for rebounds against a tall and tenacious Newport Harbor team.
“We competed hard,” Berger said. “Newport Harbor’s a really good team. We were a little out-matched inside with some of our injuries. They (the Sailors) win almost every game on the glass and we gave a pretty effort on that.
“What I loved most about tonight was that our non-superstars played great. I hope that’s from our scheduling, from them playing in big games and not being afraid. We had big contributions all over the place.”
Los Alamitos led 38-30 at halftime. The Sailors made a third-quarter run led by Leinart’s nine points in the period to reduce the Griffins’ lead to 43-42. Gray scored seven points in the quarter, Lopez made a late 3-pointer and Los Alamitos took a 56-48 lead into the fourth quarter.
Trevino opened the final quarter with a 3-pointer and the Los Alamitos lead never got fewer than eight points from there.
Newport Harbor, No. 4 in the CIF Southern Section Division 2A poll, concludes the regular season next week with two league home games, against Edison on Tuesday and against Fountain Valley on Thursday.
Los Alamitos, No. 16 in the CIF-SS Division 1 poll, plays county No. 1 Mater Dei on Saturday in the Nike Extravaganza at Mater Dei at 7:30 p.m. The Griffins finish their regular season next week with league games at Fountain Valley on Tuesday and home against Edison on Thursday.
The CIF-SS boys basketball playoffs begin Feb. 6. Playoff brackets will be released Feb. 4.
