Mesa comes up short

Barry Faulkner

ANAHEIM - Those who showed up at Anaheim High Monday night looking

for the new and improved Costa Mesa High boys basketball team, saw just

that -- at one end of the floor.

But, defense aside, the Mustangs endured some shaky shooting in their

first game under new coach Bob Serven, falling to California, 52-41, in

the first round of the Taco Company Invitational.

Mesa missed its first 24 three-point attempts and hit 1 of 31 from beyond

the arc. The Mustangs also shot just 15% in the second half (4 for 27)

and went 11:25 without a field goal.

But, with an attacking two-three zone defense and the consistent

intensity which left a postgame smile on Serven’s face, the Mustangs kept

the outcome in doubt, until the final two minutes.

Seniors Nate Jones and Ryan Naff combined for 18 first-half points to key

a 25-22 Mesa lead. The Mustangs committed their only turnover of the

first two periods with 1:28 left in the half.

But, plagued by foul trouble, and the illness-induced absence of 6-foot-6

starting center Mike Payne, the Mustangs didn’t have enough offensive

ammunition to stave off defeat.

The Condors earned their first lead since 3-2 with a 10-foot jumper,

which made it 27-26 with 2:49 left in the third quarter.

They upped the lead to 38-29, before Naff’s 6-foot runner ended the

aforementioned field-goal drought with 4:40 left in the game. Naff’s

bucket sparked an 8-2 Mesa run which closed it to 40-37.

Mesa stepped to the line with a chance to draw closer with 2:37 left, but

a missed front end of a one-and-one allowed the Condors to pull away.

“We gave a great effort and I thought we played great defense,” Serven

said. “We just needed to make baskets.”

The Mustangs fall into the consolation bracket, where they will meet

Monday’s Servite-Irvine loser Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Anaheim High.

Jones finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while

Naff added 13 points and eight rebounds.

Shaun Ferryman had four points and six boards, while Rick Hatsushi added

six points and three assists.

“We aren’t very deep in the front line, so (Payne) would have made a

difference tonight,” said Serven, whose squad finished with just six

turnovers, 10 fewer than the Condors.

California shot just 25% before intermission and 33% for the game, but

connected on 19 of 23 foul shots.

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS

Taco Company Invitational

California 52, Costa Mesa 41

Score by Quarters

California 9 13 8 22 - 52

Costa Mesa 12 13 1 15 - 41

California - Shellman 16, Kearney 11, Oltjenbruns 9, Anchondo 5, Villegas

5, Topete 3, Nettles 2, Gonzalez 1.

3-pt. goals - Anchondo 1, Oltjenbruns 1, Topete 1.

Fouled out - Kearney.

Technicals - None.

Costa Mesa - Jones 14, Naff 13, Hatsushi 6, Ferryman 4, Whittaker 2, Weir

2, Conte 0, Krikorian 0.

3-pt. goals - Naff 1.

Fouled out - Ferryman, Hatsushi.

Technicals - Ferryman.