Marymount Plays Solid Game but Harbor Prevails, 80-78

Going into Wednesday’s Southern California Athletic Conference game at Harbor, Marymount hadn’t sniffed the sweet smell of victory since Dec. 15.

So the Mariners were due for a win and they played fiercely to get one against a tough Harbor club that in the end won, 80-78.

With 2:50 left to play, Harbor’s Eric Carpenter tied the game at 70 with a layup. The freshman guard also hit the 10-foot jumper, with 55 seconds remaining, that secured the victory for the Seahawks, who hold a four-game winning streak.

Marymount remains at the bottom of the seven-member conference with an 0-6 record (5-17 overall) and Harbor is in third place with a 4-2 (18-10 overall) mark.

“We played in sync,” said Marymount Coach Jim Masterson, “but we made too many crucial errors at the end.”

Marymount fell behind in the opening minutes, but the Mariners utilized their fast-break offense and full-court trap to come back.

“I told the kids,” said Harbor Coach Ken Curry, “that they would be ready to play and they were.”

A sloppy Harbor defense, which had Curry yelling from the sideline, allowed Marymount to come within one with 7:35 left in the half.

The Mariners took the lead for the first time after a five-point run with a little over six minutes left. Marymount’s Kevin Johnson made a layup off a long Lenny Kai pass that gave the Mariners a 27-26 lead.

Harbor regained the lead and, with 2:30 left for the break, the Seahawks led, 37-32, but Marymount caught up to take a 40-39 halftime lead after a Warren Cox tip-in at the buzzer.

Four Harbor players scored in double figures. Roneil Powell led the pack with 15 and Carpenter and Terry Nelson each had 14. Vernon Middleton had 13.

Marymount was led by its two Bahamian stars, Warren Cox and Kerry Baker. Cox had 17 and Baker 15.