Boys basketball: PCL co-champ Mesa looks for another first.

Barry Faulkner

CERRITOS - There may be a first time for everything, but the Costa

Mesa High boys basketball team is quickly running out of them.

After wrapping up the first league championship in the program’s 41

varsity seasons, Coach Bob Serven’s Pacific Coast League co-champions

have now set their sights on obtaining the first postseason win in school

annals.

But, before they even take the floor for the program’s sixth playoff

game, they’re among the eight teams in CIF Southern Section Division

III-AA to benefit from a first-round bye.

“This was about as good as could be expected for us,” Serven said as

he reviewed the bracket, released Sunday in the Gahr High gym.

The Mustangs (17-9), will host either La Canada (20-6) or Covina

(13-13) in the second round Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Serven was curious to know if Friday would be the first home playoff

game in school history. The Mustangs, however, have hosted at least one

other CIF playoff clash.

The Mustangs, who defeated Corona del Mar, 58-39, Thursday to cap a

7-3 league campaign and share the PCL crown with University, will take

full advantage of the scouting opportunity the bye affords them.

“I’m pleased that we got into the top eight,” Serven said. The league

title obviously helped the Mustangs, ranked No. 10 in last week’s

Division III-AA poll, secure the bye.

Serven said he expects La Canada to defeat visiting Covina Wednesday,

creating what Serven believes is a winnable matchup against the Spartans,

who finished second in the Rio Hondo League, three games behind Monrovia,

which eliminated Mesa in last year’s III-AA first round.

Though information on La Canada was not available (the school did not

submit the required media sheets to the section office), Serven said

success in the playoffs is often more about how ready your team is, than

what challenges the opponent may bring.

“I’ve been in the playoffs enough times that I think I know how to get

my team prepared,” said Serven, who guided Newport Harbor High to its

last league title in 1990 and spent several successful postseasons on the

Santa Margarita High bench as an assistant to Jerry DeBusk.

“We’ll have an opportunity to see our opponent Wednesday, but I don’t

want to give our guys too much scouting information. I don’t want to

confuse them.”

Serven, who said after Thursday’s win that his Mustangs were “still

very fresh,” believes there is no confusion about what’s expected, after

many of this year’s players got playoff experience last year.

“I think we have a better idea of what the playoffs are about,” Serven

said. “We know that if you don’t come ready to play, it could be

one-and-out.”

Serven also believes, regardless of the opponent, it’s important to

continue doing the things that got Costa Mesa within one victory of

matching the school’s single-season victory record (set in 1966).

Should the Mustangs prevail, their likely quarterfinal opponent, Feb.

20, would be No. 4-seeded Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks (21-5). Bishop

Montgomery (22-2) is the No. 1 seed, San Dimas (23-3) is No. 2 and

Burroughs of Ridgecrest (21-3) is No. 3.

Costa Mesa, which ended last season on a seven-game losing streak, won

six of its final seven PCL contests this season.

The Mustangs’ calling card is their two-three zone defense, while

their balanced offense begins on the perimeter, where they drained 236

three-pointers.

Senior Steve Whittaker, who embodies the two-way effort Serven

demands, led Mustang scorers with 12.5 points per game. His 79

three-pointers are also a team best.

Junior point guard David Conte (11.6 ppg with 41 three-pointers),

junior forward Chad Vakili (11.2 with 51 three balls) and 6-foot-7 senior

center Mike Payne (10.5) are also strong contributors. Payne also

averages nine rebounds and his shot blocking ability has helped him flirt

with a triple-double a handful of times this season.

Sophomore Danny Krikorian rounds out the starting lineup, while Nolan

Clark leads the Mesa reserves.