Girls basketball: No Hatsushi, no win

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - Like losing a platoon leader in a world war; similar

to losing a starting quarterback in the Super Bowl, such was the

ill-fated task of the Costa Mesa High girls basketball team Saturday.

The Mustangs (16-13) overcame a 12-point deficit led by floor general

Nancy Hatsushi. But, the senior point guard left with an injury and,

though Mesa hung in for three minutes, visiting Morningside took

advantage for a 67-57 victory in the second round of the CIF Southern

Section Division III-AA playoffs.

Mustangs junior forward Christine Caron scored a team-high 17 points,

while Hatsushi (13 points) and Rhondi Naff (10) also finished in double

figures. Seniors Barbara Trejo and Leigh Marshall contributed six points

each, all in the second half.

“I’m so proud of my girls,” Mesa Coach Jim Weeks said. “We gave away

so many inches and so much athletic ability and we just worked so hard

and battled and battled.”

Senior guard Juleen Smith scored a game-high 28 points, 25 in the

second half, to lead Morningside (21-8) to victory, pushing the Mustangs

out of the playoffs for the third time out of four seasons.

Trailing, 33-21, Mesa went on a 21-8 run in a nine-minute span

covering the third and fourth quarters. Hatsushi grabbed a rebound, sped

up the court and dished one of her seven assists to Marshall who knocked

down a three-pointer for a 42-41 lead, with 6:42 remaining.

But, eight seconds later Hatshushi suffered an injury as she strained

her left calf muscle and missed the rest of the way.

The Monarchs, who scored a 95-29 victory over South Pasadena in the

first round, then used a full-court press to challenge Mesa.

The Mustangs looked to Naff, a 5-11 sophomore, who appeared to have

the best ball-handling skills. Upon Hatsushi’s exit, Naff scored eight

points by driving to the basket.

Naff also served up a key assist when she penetrated and then found

Marshall on the right wing. Marshall heaved a three-point bomb that

bounced off the rim, caromed off the backboard and fell in the hoop as

Mesa trailed, 52-51.

Morningside then outscored the Mustangs, 15-7, as the Monarchs earned

six points from offensive rebounds.

“Everybody did a great job,” Weeks said. “(The seniors) were awesome.

They played the greatest game of their lives. I don’t measure games by

wins. This team has worked so hard to get as much as they could out of

themselves. It’s an honor to be this team’s coach. There’s not enough

words to say what I feel about these girls. They’re just phenomenal.”

Morningside built an 11-4 lead in the opening minutes, but Mesa

responded with an 11-4 run of its own to tie the score at 15. The

Monarchs then used a 16-6 run as Donnisha Sanford (20 points) drove and

converted on a layup with one second left before halftime and Morningside

led, 31-21.

CIF Division III-AA Second Round

Girls

Morningside 67, Costa Mesa 57

Morningside 11 20 8 28 - 67

Costa Mesa 6 15 16 20 - 57

Morningside - Ju. Smith 28, Sanford 20, Thomas 11, Whiting 4, Williams

4, Hendrix 2.

3-pt. goals - Ju. Smith 1.

Fouled out - Thomas.

Technicals - Powell.

Costa Mesa - Caron 17, Hatsushi 13, Naff 10, Marshall 6, Trejo 6,

Muniz 2, Carich 2, Grewal 1, Bello 0, Cooper 0, Lazos 0, Le 0, Poncher 0,

Trinh 0.

3-pt. goals - Hatsushi 2, Marshall 2, Caron 2, Trejo 2.

Fouled out - Carich, Caron, Lazos, Muniz.

Technicals - none.