Laguna Beach boys’ basketball routs Costa Mesa, stays undefeated in league
Laguna Beach High students started the familiar chant right after the start of the second half Friday night.
“I believe that we will win!” they yelled, earlier than usual.
The students weren’t necessarily being premature, just realistic. The Laguna Beach boys’ basketball team was hosting Costa Mesa in an Orange Coast League first-place showdown, but it was over early.
Senior Blake Burzell scored 24 points as the Breakers routed the Mustangs 80-45, taking over sole possession of first place in league with six games remaining.
Laguna Beach (19-3, 4-0 in league) made it look easy while handing Costa Mesa (9-8, 3-1) its first league loss. The Breakers got out in transition early for easy baskets, with freshman center Nolan Naess making four layups in the first quarter. Laguna Beach was up 21-1 in the final minute of the first quarter before the Mustangs hit their first field goal, a three-pointer by junior guard Tre Villalpando.
But Burzell responded with a corner three-pointer on the other end, and the Breakers took a 24-4 lead after the quarter. The lead would grow to as large as 43 points late in the game, before the Mustangs, who had a six-game winning streak snapped, scored the contest’s final eight points.
“For us, transition is fun,” Laguna Beach coach Bret Fleming said. “It certainly starts because of the defensive end …We have to come into every game in league understanding we have a target on our back. We need to come out with effort. If we come with effort and defense, everything else will take care of itself.”
Laguna Beach, ranked No. 3 in CIF Southern Section Division 3AA, starts four seniors that are hungry to win league after finishing second to Godinez last season. Senior guard Grady Morgan had 10 points, while senior guards Owen McMurray and Charlie Rounaghi put in nine and seven, respectively.
If they win out in league, the Breakers would have the fewest regular-season losses and best winning percentage in program history. The 1961-62 team went 22-4 in the regular season.
“We’ve been playing together since elementary school,” Burzell said. “We’ve grown up together and we’re like a family. We share the ball, we’re unselfish and it’s so fun to play with everyone.”
Costa Mesa is younger, as it starts four juniors. Nobody got to double digits for the Mustangs, as junior guard Nico Dasca, junior forward George Williamson and junior guard Osman Hefner all scored nine points.
“We picked a bad night to lay an egg,” Mustangs first-year coach Mike Ofer said. “We came out in the first half and our shot selection was bad, and that let them get out and run on us a little bit. Tip your hat to them; they’re a very good team. You let a team get out and run in transition like that, you don’t have a shot, but hopefully for us it’s a good learning opportunity.”
Laguna Beach sophomore guard Brooks Hogenauer got a good opportunity in the fourth quarter. He came off the bench to make a trio of three-pointers, which got the home crowd excited.
Laguna Beach, which has won every league game so far by at least 29 points, finishes off the first half of league Wednesday with a home game against Saddleback. Costa Mesa plays host to crosstown rival Estancia on Wednesday.
*
Laguna Beach 80, Costa Mesa 45
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Costa Mesa 4 – 13 – 10 – 18 — 45
Laguna Beach 24 – 18 – 15 – 23 — 80
CM – Dasca 9, Williamson 9, Hefner 9, Garcialazo 8, Villalpando 6, Swanson 2, Elliott 2.
3-pt. goals – Garcialazo 2, Williamson 1, Villalpando 1.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
LB – Burzell 24, Naess 17, Morgan 10, McMurray 9, Hogenauer 9, C. Rounaghi 7, Armstrong 4.
3-pt. goals – Burzell 4, Hogenauer 3, Morgan 2, Naess 1, McMurray 1.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
Twitter: @mjszabo
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