Mesa wins early showdown

Richard Dunn

In a Golden West League with two clear-cut powers to begin the

campaign, Costa Mesa High’s girls basketball team knew its place in

the rank and file, figuring the league opener Tuesday night against

host Ocean View would be an early third-place showdown.

If that’s the case, Costa Mesa Coach Jim Weeks might start making

plans for the CIF Southern Section Playoffs.

“We kind of solidified third place and (earned) a look at the

other two teams (league favorites Estancia and Westminster),” Weeks

said, following his team’s 58-47 victory over the Seahawks as 6-foot

senior Rhondi Naff (29 points) and senior shooting guard Stacee

Sanchez (17) scored career highs for the Mustangs (8-6, 1-0 in

league).

“I told our players that this was a very important game, that it

was essentially for third place and gives us a shot at Estancia and

Westminster. Those two are by far the best teams in the league. We

just hope to compete with them.”

Costa Mesa outscored the hosts (7-7, 0-1) in the fourth quarter,

18-9, including a game-ending 13-2 scoring run.

Ocean View tied the game, 45-45, with two free throws when 4:01

remained, capping a comeback that started in the third quarter after

the Mustangs enjoyed a 10-point lead.

Mesa’s Rickell Reeves, a 5-8 senior who sparked the Mustangs in

the fourth quarter, scored on a bank shot with 3:14 left to give the

visitors a 47-45 edge and trigger the decisive spurt.

Sanchez netted her third three-pointer with 2:48 to play, then

Ocean View’s Erica Williams made a pair at the line to cut Mesa’s

lead to three. The Seahawks, however, wouldn’t score again.

Reeves converted two free throws with 2:00 left, then after an

Ocean View turnover, Naff scored in the paint with 1:47 left after

running down the shot clock. Naff and Reeves added two free throws

each in the final minute to give Mesa its margin of victory.

“We played 11 players tonight, so I feel real good about the depth

on our team,” Weeks said. “The only person I wear out is Rhondi ...

she’s so great to coach. She plays hard every minute. She might get

more recognition if she played at a high-profile school, but she does

everything for us. She shoots, rebounds, plays defense, handles the

ball and shoots threes.”

Naff finished 9 of 18 from the field (1 of 5 from three-point

territory) and 10 of 13 from the free-throw line, while adding eight

rebounds (three offensive) and six steals. Reeves came off the bench

to score eight points and grab seven rebounds, five in the fourth

quarter.

Mesa opened with an 8-0 lead, following a Sanchez three-pointer to

start the game and back-to-back steals and layups on Ocean View

inbound passes by Naff and Sanchez. Ocean View, though, rallied to

force a 10-10 deadlock at first quarter’s end.

The Mustangs broke away from the Seahawks in the second quarter,

outscoring the hosts, 17-10. Ocean View led, 16-13 and 18-17, but

Mesa’s 10-2 run to cap the first half gave the Mustangs a 27-20

halftime lead. Naff dribbled out the final 22 seconds on the clock,

before concluding the first half with a layup with 0:01 left.

Ocean View sank 8 of 10 free throws in the third quarter as the

Seahawks outscored Mesa, 18-13, but the Mustangs still held a 40-38

edge heading into the final eight minutes.

Ocean View took the lead, 42-41, early in the fourth, but Mesa

pulled ahead by three before the game was tied at 45.

Williams (16 points), Corinne Esposito (13) and Vanessa Alderfer

(11) scored in double figures for Ocean View. Costa Mesa will host

Santa Ana Valley in a nonleague game Saturday night at 7.