Girls basketball: Ontario ambushes Mesa, 45-37

HAWAIIAN GARDENS - The Costa Mesa High girls basketball team was

outscored, 20-2, in the first quarter and never recovered, losing to

Ontario, 45-37, in the first round of the Artesia Tournament Friday at

the Hawaiian Gardens Center.

“We’ve had trouble starting games and we didn’t play very good defense

early,” Mesa Coach Jim Weeks said. “We came back in the second half,

which I was proud of, but we never got closer than eight points.”

Mesa senior Autumn Smith scored 10 of her team-high 12 after intermission

and Jenny Earnest scored all seven of her points in the final two

quarters, when the Mustangs (3-3) outscored the Jaguars, 23-13.

Junior Nancy Hatsushi scored 11 for Mesa and continues to be the team’s

most consistent player, Weeks said.

Mesa begins consolation-bracket play today at 12:20 p.m. against Gahr at

the same site.

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS

Artesia Tournament

First round

Ontario 45, Costa Mesa 37

Score by Quarters

Costa Mesa 2 12 11 12 - 37

Ontario 20 12 8 5 - 45

Costa Mesa - Smith 12, Hatsushi 11, Marshall 7, Earnest 7, Le 0, Trejo 0,

Muniz 0, Caron 0. Hitt 0, Lazos 0.

3-pt. goals - Marshall 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.

Ontario - Gardner 15, Valdes 11, Stefan 9, Olin 7, Torres 3.

3-pt. goals - Torres 1, Valdes 1, Stefan 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.