Girls basketball: Mesa stumbles at Uni

Barry Faulkner

IRVINE - What the Costa Mesa High girls basketball team hoped would

be an opening statement Tuesday night at University High, may turn out to

be a bad omen.

Having beaten the Trojans 10 of their last 11 meetings, including

handing the defending Pacific Coast League champions their only two

league losses last year, the Mustangs and Coach Jim Weeks figured opening

the PCL schedule against Uni and 3-14 Northwood would provide an

opportunity to build momentum heading into Tuesday’s crosstown showdown

at league title favorite Estancia.

But as quickly as one could say “faahgetaboudit” those notions were

submerged under University’s swarming full-court pressure.

As the Mustangs (6-10) struggled to get the ball past half court and

committed six turnovers in a little more than the opening five minutes,

the Trojans (8-7) built a 14-4 first-quarter lead, which expanded to 29-8

by halftime.

Uni went on to cruise to a 54-32 triumph that left both coaches more

than a little surprised.

“I thought they’d handle our pressure a little better,” Uni Coach Bob

Bernal said.

“This is the first time in four years (since former veteran point

guard Nancy Hatsushi moved on to Orange Coast College), I’ve had to worry

about pressure,” Weeks said. “But it has given us problems all year. Give

(the Trojans) credit. They were real aggressive. But we didn’t execute

our offense as well as we have been.”

Danielle Janda, a 5-foot-11 senior, had plenty to do with the

Mustangs’ offensive struggles, as she locked onto Mesa scoring leader

Rhondi Naff with impressive results.

Jandi, who also led the Trojans with 18 points, blocked six shots and

limited Naff to six points, equaling the standout’s season low and well

below her 17.5 average coming in.

With Naff contained, the Mustangs struggled to find other options.

The visitors made just 4 of 25 field-goal attempts in the first half

(16%). Mesa finished at 24.5% from the field for the game (12 of 49) and

finished with 24 turnovers.

Christine Caron and Daniella Bolzmann each had five points for the

Mustangs, who Weeks said have struggled on the road.

“That’s the 11th away game we’ve had and we’ve played well in two of

them,” he said. “I was hoping we would step it up tonight and make a

statement, but we’ve had a hard time staying focused. I feel like our

effort is there, but our execution isn’t.”

Uni, which sat its starters after three quarters, also received 13

points, including a trio of three-pointers, from returning all-league

point guard Shaadi Ariazand.

It was 9-0, before Naff broke the ice for Mesa with 2:49 left in the

first quarter. Naff scored again with 28 seconds left in the period, but

was limited to a pair of free throws the rest of the way.

Naff collected a team-high six rebounds and added two assists and two

blocks.

Bolzmann connected on 2 of 4 from the field, including one of the

Mustangs two three-pointers, in limited minutes. Her five points were a

career high.

The Trojans shot nearly 41% from the field (22 of 54).

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

University 54, Costa Mesa 32

Score by Quarters

Costa Mesa 4 4 11 13 - 32

University 14 15 12 13 - 54

Costa Mesa - Naff 6, Caron 5, Carich 4, Bello 2, Poncher 2, Bolzmann

5, Grewal 2, Sanchez 2, Brick 2, Landeros 1, Reeves 1, Akansel 0.

3-pt. goals - Caron 1, Bolzman 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.

University - York 3, Sutter 0, Janda 18, Ariazand 13, Yeo 6, Dejani 4,

Voronel 3, Hashizu 3, Newsome 2, Allah 1, Lee 1.

3-pt. goals - Ariazand 3, Voronel 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.