Boys basketball: CdM reigns supreme

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - For 20 days, Corona del Mar High senior point guard

Alec Hanson wore the dreaded mark of zero, swathed upon him after a

scoreless performance in the first Pacific Coast League meeting with

Costa Mesa.

Twenty days later, he exploded for six first-half three-pointers and

finished with a game-high 20 points to lead the Sea Kings to a 65-62 road

win that clinched their first outright league championship since 1987.

“Alec really had a cross to bear after that bagel in the first game,” CdM

Coach Paul Orris said. “Our guys got on him about it and it grated on

him. He went for it tonight.”

Hanson hit four of his first five three-point attempts and missed only

two from beyond the arc before intermission.

“It felt like I couldn’t miss,” said Hanson, who netted nearly half of

the visitors’ 14 three balls.

CdM (20-6, 6-2 and ranked No. 4 in CIF Southern Section Division III-AA)

shot an astonishing 61% from beyond the arc (14 of 23), but still barely

withstood the Mustangs’ now familiar second-half rally.

Trailing, 41-27, at intermission, Mesa (17-9, 3-4 and No. 9 in III-AA)

closed to within 58-54 with 3:15 left in the game. Then, after CdM padded

the margin to 63-54, Mesa junior guard Steve Whittaker hit back-to-back

three-pointers on the same seven-second possession (he was fouled after

the first and Mesa rebounded the missed free throw), to pull the hosts

within three with 47 seconds left.

Hanson scored a layin against a gambling full-court press, but Dave Weir

answered with a 6-foot baseline runner and Mesa sophomore David Conte

stole the ensuing inbounds pass.

Mesa got two three-point opportunities, before CdM cleared the rebound

with 11 seconds left.

After three quick fouls finally put the Sea Kings in the bonus, Mesa got

another life on the missed front end of a one-and-one.

But the Mustangs’ last-second three-point try bounded off the rim,

dropping them into fourth place and forcing them to accept their first

playoff berth since 1992 (the last of three straight seasons the CIF

Southern Section admitted every team to the postseason) as an at-large

entry.

“(CdM) played like a team that wanted to win the championship tonight,”

Mesa Coach Bob Serven said. “They’re playing the kind of basketball I

wish our team was, heading into the playoffs.”

Orris only marginally agreed, taking exception with a second-half

performance he thought was tentative.

“I’ll tell my kids they’ve come a long way and 20-6 isn’t bad,” Orris

said. “But I’ll also tell them champions have to know how to finish

(games).”

The Sea Kings, however, finished out the rugged PCL campaign, their first

in the circuit, on top.

“It wasn’t easy,” Orris said. “I’d stand this league up against any other

league around. Any team to come out in first had to earn it and we did.”

Kevin Hansen added 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Brooks Morris and

Judd Hietbrink scored 11 and 10, respectively, giving the Sea Kings four

double-figure scorers for the first time all season.

Whittaker (five three-pointers) and Nate Jones paced Mesa with 15 points

apiece.

Playoff pairings will be announced Sunday.

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS

Pacific Coast League

Corona del Mar 65, Costa Mesa 62

Score by Quarters

Corona del Mar 19 22 17 7 - 65

Costa Mesa 12 15 23 12 - 62

Corona del Mar - Hanson 20, Hansen 15, Morris 11, Hietbrink 10, Shahangian 5, Templeton 4, Snell 0, Patterson 0.

3-pt. goals - Hanson 6, Hansen 3, Hietbrink 3, Morris 1, Shahangian 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.

Costa Mesa - Jones 15, Whittaker 15, Weir 9, Hatsushi 8, Ferryman 6,

Naff 5, Payne 4, Conte 0.

3-pt. goals - Whittaker 5, Weir 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.