Girls basketball: Newport makes a game out of it

Joseph Boo

NEWPORT BEACH - Costa Mesa High’s girls basketball team did not get

a lot of style points Saturday against Newport Harbor. In fact, the

Mustangs didn’t get a lot of points period. Though it was difficult for

them to get the ball through the hoop, Mesa eventually pulled out a 37-23

nonleague win at Newport Harbor.

The one telling sign for Mesa (15-9, ranked No. No. 8 in CIF Southern

Section Division III-AA) was the third quarter. That’s when the Mustangs

made one basket. That’s right, one Nancy Hatsushi jumper 5:34 into the

quarter.

“I’m not surprised about Newport,” Costa Mesa Coach Jim Weeks said. “I’m

surprised we didn’t make a basket for six minutes. If we were playing

Woodbridge, it would be understandable. We just couldn’t shoot. Except

for that, we dominated the game.”

Though Mesa outrebounded the Sailors (4-21) and forced more turnovers, it

missed shots of every variety. Seven three-pointers went for rebounds in

the third. Layups also failed to cooperate.

With every missed shot, Newport’s confidence started to grow. Nicole

Ashton, who scored seven points, slashed to the basket for two buckets,

and Athena Vasquez, who had six points, did likewise. And lo and behold,

when Briana Brooks hit a jumper with :27 seconds left in the third, the

Tars were only down 23-18.

Newport had a chance to cut the lead in the final second of the quarter

to three but it missed an open layup off a nice backdoor play.

“We were playing well, and playing hard,” Newport Harbor Coach Gregg

Savage said. “I’m happy with our effort in the second half. We got within

five. Should’ve been three, though.”

Unfortunately for Newport, Mesa decided enough was enough in the fourth.

It put in the trio of Hatsushi, Jenny Earnest and Autumn Smith, who

didn’t start. Smith got four of her six points, had two blocks and most

of her 11 rebounds in the fourth.

Leigh Marshall, Mesa’s high scorer with nine points, hit her third

three-pointer to open the fourth. Hatsushi followed with her own three to

give the Mustangs a 29-18 lead again. It then closed out the game on an

8-5 run.

Mesa did not start usual starters Smith and Christine Caron. But with

Newport in striking distance, both had to play most of the second half

until the final minute, when the Mustangs could resume playing its

nonstarters.

“We wanted to play as many people as possible and give other girls a

chance to start,” Weeks said. “But maybe not having our normal starters

did something with our offense.”

Newport was also missing a piece of its starting lineup when senior Molly

Weedn hurt her left knee in practice and watched the game on crutches.

Nonleague

Costa Mesa 37, Newport Harbor 23

Score by Quarters

Costa Mesa 12 9 2 14 - 37

Newport Harbor 4 6 8 5 - 23

Costa Mesa - Hatsushi 7, Earnest 7, Lazos 1, Cooper 0, Le 0, Marshall 9,

Smith 6, Caron 0, Hitt 7, Trejo 0, Muniz 0.

3-pt. goals - Marshall 3, Earnest 1, Hitt 1, Hatsushi 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.

Newport Harbor - Ashton 7, Vasquez 6, Castillo 3, Moore 2, Gerlach 2,

Brooks 3, Gallardo 0, Sondel 0.

3-pt. goals - None.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.