CdM rallies, 61-54

Corona del Mar High’s boys basketball team stunned host Arroyo

Grande in the first round of the Eagles’ holiday tournament and

recorded a 61-54 victory in pool play Wednesday.

Coach Ryan Curry’s Sea Kings, down by nine in the second quarter,

were ignited by Reid Watanabe’s steal in the third quarter and the

momentum swung 180 degrees as Arroyo Grande melted under a 22-11 CdM

run.

“His steal really ignited us,” said Curry. “All of a sudden we

just picked up. It was a huge lift and all of a sudden Arroyo Grande

was under the pressure.”

Pancho Seaborn (15), Adam Freede (12) and Kevin Mancillas (11) led

the way in scoring.

The Sea Kings (3-3) meet Thousand Oaks today at 4 p.m.

Mustangs lose, 50-41

BOYS: A string of turnovers in the second half for Costa Mesa

High’s boys basketball team led to its demise -- a 50-41 loss to

Diamond Bar in the second round of the Irvine World News Tournament

at Irvine High Wednesday.

Mesa (4-3) led, 24-18 at halftime, before Diamond Bar (8-1), who

beat Santa Margarita in the first round Tuesday, outscored the

Mustangs, 33-16 in the second half.

Danny Krikorian led the way for Costa Mesa with 15 points,

including three three-pointers. Jeff Waldron had 11 rebounds and

Marko Stankovic added six boards for Costa Mesa.

Scott Knox led the Mustangs with four assists.

Sailors top Whitney

GIRLS: Newport Harbor High senior Lindsay Woller had 10 points and

six rebounds to help lead the Sailors to a 38-34 girls basketball

victory over Whitney in the second round of pool play Wednesday at

the Valley Christian Tournament at Valley Christian High.

Jillianne Whitfield also had 10 points and added five rebounds,

while Athena Vasquez contributed six assists and three points to help

the Sailors improve to 6-2.

Newport, which Coach Jen Thompson said played listlessly much of

the contest, will conclude pool play tonight at 8 against Valley

Christian, with the winner advancing to Friday night’s championship

game.

Mustangs roll, 46-36

GIRLS:

Senior Rhondi Naff scored 11 of her 20 points in the fourth

quarter to help lead the Costa Mesa High girls basketball team to a

46-36 win over King Drew in the second round of consolation in the

Artesia Tournament at Millikan High Wednesday.

Costa Mesa senior Rickell Reeves contributed 14 rebounds and eight

points. The Mustangs (4-3) will play today at 6:50 p.m. against the

winner of the Fountain Valley-Redlands matchup at Millikan High.

“It was a real tough game,” Mesa Coach Jim Weeks said. “We got a

lead and I just got the ball to Rhondi a lot. She ended up making

five free throws down the stretch. I think our full court press wore

them down a bit and we were able to use our depth.”

Millikan too much,

GIRLS: Estancia High girls basketball coach Tamette Rappa was at a

loss for words to describe her team’s 71-31 defeat at the hands of

Millikan in the second round of the Artesia Tournament Wednesday.

“We didn’t play today,” Rappa said. “This was not my team. I have

no idea what to say.”

The Eagles (5-3) played their third game in three days and shot

30% from the field while getting to the foul line four times and

making 2 of 8 free-throw attempts.

The loss sends the Eagles to the loser’s bracket against Schurr

today at 5:25 p.m. at Millikan High in Long Beach.

Trisha Wase led the Eagles with 11 points and had six rebounds and

Xochitl Byfield added none points and five rebounds for Estancia.

Tisha Gray led the Eagles with nine rebounds.