Mustangs in the driver’s seat

Roger Carlson

In one of the most improbable of leads to a basketball scenario as

the year comes to a conclusion as ever considered in this region ever -

the Newport-Mesa District - comes the following:

Costa Mesa High’s Mustangs, 9-3 and favored to do very well at the Canyon

Tournament, which opens today, have their travel tickets to the CIF

Division III Playoffs virtually in hand, evenbefore the Pacific Coast

League wars unfold Jan. 7.

“That’s how I understand it,” said first-year coach Bob Serven Thursday

as he surveyed his team’s early encounters, which have surprised even the

staunchest of Mesa fans, sans perhaps Serven himself, an eternal optimist

who literally breathes fire into his player’s veins.

“I’m not sure about league, who knows?,” said Serven, when considering

what his team is up against in the from of the University-Corona del

Mar-Estancia-Laguna Beach blockade.

“But I know this. We’re in Division III and they’re only going to make it

one division, with the stipulation that any team with 10 wins is

automatically granted a berth to the playoffs.

“That’s how my newsletter from the coaching association puts it.”

That’s a ways down the road, however, and right now Serven is thinking

about the Canyon Tournament, where his team will most likely hook up with

a solid Loara outfit on Tuesday at 4:30, providing both teams hold up

their credentials as heavy favorites today.

Serven says the great metamorphosis, from perennial also-ran to

contender, is only a matter of “little things.”

“One thing these guys have is some fight in them,” said Serven. “We held

Brennon Martin, who is headed for Texas A&M;, to five points with team

defense.”

“They’re pretty much a blue collar team,” continued Serven of his

Mustangs, “and they’re good at accepting constructive criticism and

applying it.”

Shaun Ferryman, a 6-3 center who averages 4.4 points a game, is a good

example.

Although he often shares starting duties with junior Mike Payne, it’s his

basic competitiveness which brings out the best in everyone (as does

Serven, himself, whose own fire in game situations is legendary, going

back to his coaching at Newport Harbor).

Among the vanquished: Laguna Hills and Trabuco Hills, as well as A.B.

Miller and Sunny Hills, in the span of six days.

Most everyone is doing well at this stage of the season, but clearly, the

stunner is the rise of the Mustangs’ boys team.

Today’s schedule

BOYS

Costa Mesa (9-3) at Canyon Tournament, vs. Canyon JV, 1:30 p.m.

Corona del Mar (8-3) at Estancia Tournament, vs. Roosevelt, 5:50 p.m.

Estancia (7-4) at Estancia Tournament, vs. Antelope Valley Christian,

7:30 p.m.

Newport Harbor (6-4) at Carson City Tournament.

GIRLS

Newport Harbor (2-8) at Costa Mesa Tournament, vs. Mayfair, noon.

Costa Mesa (6-3) at Costa Mesa Tournament, vs. Whitney, 6:20 p.m.

Estancia (6-2) at Marina Tournament, vs. Long Beach Jordan, 9 a.m.

Corona del Mar (6-3) at Santiago Tournament.