Girls basketball: Seniors help Mesa move on

Barry Faulkner

POMONA - Members of Costa Mesa High’s Class of 2000 already passed

out flowers and posed for pictures with their parents two weeks ago at

the final regular-season home game. But Tuesday night’s CIF Southern

Section Division III-AA first-round girls basketball playoff game against

Diamond Ranch at Garey High, may have been a more appropriate

senior-night celebration.

Mesa’s Autumn Smith exploded for 18 points, 18 rebounds and five blocked

shots, while fellow impending graduate Jenny Earnest contributed 19

points, four steals, three assists and three rebounds to lead the

Mustangs to a 52-39 win in a game that seesawed until the final four

minutes.

The win, which ups the Mustangs’ record to 17-10 and extends their 11th

straight trip to the postseason, advances them to Thursday’s second-round

clash at Azusa High (21-3).

“I’m very happy to be moving on,” said Earnest, who scored 13 points

after halftime, including nine in the third quarter, when few other

offensive options appeared for the visitors.

“I asked Jenny to attack the basket and she did tonight,” Mesa Coach Jim

Weeks said. “She really stepped up.”

Smith, who had scored more points only once in her previous 16 games (22

against winless Laguna Beach), apparently decided it wasn’t time, just

yet, to take the final bow on a noteworthy three-year varsity career.

“Jenny was stepping it up, so I wanted to do the same,” said the 6-foot

center, who was first-team All-CIF and shared Newport-Mesa District

Player of the Year laurels last season.

Smith, battling an active and athletic Diamond Ranch front line all

night, seized control for the visitors by scoring Mesa’s first eight

fourth-quarter points.

Two putbacks, two free throws and a five-foot bank shot helped the

Mustangs extend a 31-30 lead at the end of three quarters to 39-35 with

4:15 left.

After a Diamond Ranch foul shot cut the deficit to three, sophomore

Christine Caron sank a three-pointer from the corner. Junior point guard

Nancy Hatsushi, another third-year varsity veteran, stole the ensuing

inbounds pass and laid it in to force a Panther timeout.

“That was a huge three Christine hit,” Weeks said. “And when Nancy

converted the steal right after that, it may have been the key stretch in

the game.”

The instant five-point firestorm put Mesa up, 44-36, with 3:40 remaining,

then Earnest and Hatsushi each scored four points down the stretch to

hold off the seniorless hosts.

“It was close for a while,” said Smith, who was also utilized heavily in

the backcourt, as a passing option against Diamond Ranch’s relentless

full-court defense.

The Panther press helped create 16 turnovers, frequently forced the

visitors to use more than half the 30-second shot clock to break

midcourt, and helped keep Hatsushi, scoreless until 1:33 remained in the

third quarter, out of the offensive flow.

“They did a good job on their press,” said Weeks, who added having just

one day to prepare and having zero scouting information on the Miramonte

League runner-up, also contributed to Tuesday’s difficulty.

Mesa’s defense, primarily a swarming half-court man-to-man, was similarly

difficult for the Panthers to make progress against. Diamond Ranch, which

opened three years ago and won’t play in its on gym until next season,

amassed 19 turnovers and shot a mere 25% from the field (13 of 52).

Mesa shot even worse for three quarters, sinking just 10 of 46 field-goal

attempts (21.7%), until converting 7 of 15 in the final period to finish

close to 28% overall.

Hatsushi, who netted all four free throws in the final 1:46, finished

with eight points. She also added five rebounds and three assists.

Weeks credited junior Leigh Marshall (six rebounds, three steals and two

points before fouling out), with inspired defense against taller

opponents.

Julie Hitt, the only other senior who played, as well as juniors Barbara

Trejo and Laura Muniz, contributed valuable minutes off the bench for the

winners.

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS

CIF Division III-AA First Round

Costa Mesa 52, Diamond Ranch 39

Score by Quarters

Costa Mesa 8 10 13 21 - 52

Diamond Ranch 7 10 13 9 - 39

Costa Mesa - Earnest 19, Smith 18, Hatsushi 8, Caron 3, Marshall 2, Trejo

2, Muniz 0, Hitt 0.

3-pt. goals - Caron 1.

Fouled out - Marshall.

Technicals - None.

Diamond Ranch - Fletcher 13, Fennell 10, McCall 5, Bang Boya 4, Thompson

2, Madrid 2, Romulo 2, Knott 1.

3-pt. goals - None.

Fouled out - Bang Boya.

Technicals - None.