Boys basketball: Loara sinks Costa Mesa, 61-49

Richard Dunn

ANAHEIM - If Costa Mesa High’s boys basketball team could only

count the second half of Tuesday’s season opener against host Loara,

Coach Bob Serven’s young Mustangs would have victory No. 1 in the 2000-01 campaign.

But, now that it’s the real season -- not summer league or weekend

pickup ball -- all outings go into the book.

“It’s a good first game for us,” Serven said, after his team absorbed

a 61-49 setback in the first round of the Loara Tournament, in which the

Saxons used a successful half-court trap.

“They’re a hard team to play because of all the trapping and doubling,

but it gives us an opportunity to play against doubling. We’re still

young (five juniors and one sophomore) and this game gave us an

opportunity to find some of our weaknesses. For some of our guys, it’s

their first time playing varsity basketball. The summer is not varsity

basketball.”

Costa Mesa, which enjoyed a 17-10 season last year and a trip to the

CIF Southern Section Division III-AA playoffs, its first postseason

experience in seven years, rallied in the second half behind its vaunted

three-point shooting.

The Mustangs were 6 of 21 from beyond the arc in the second half, 10

of 35 in the game.

After Loara built a sizable 39-20 halftime lead, the Mustangs

outscored the Saxons in the third quarter, 14-7, then pulled to within

eight points in the fourth quarter.

Mesa junior guard Nick Cabico netted a three-pointer early in the

final quarter, then senior teammate Steve Whittaker (game-high 15 points)

drained a long bomb with 4:28 left in the game to cut the Mustangs’

deficit to 48-40.

But that’s as close as Costa Mesa would get.

“We need better post play,” Serven said. “Three-pointers are part of

our game, sure, but we got beat up a little inside. (Senior 6-foot-7

center Mike Payne) is our only guy with any size.”

Whittaker (five three-pointers), starting guard Chad Vakili (two) and

backup guards David Conte (two) and Cabico (one) produced the

long-distance fireworks for the Mustangs. But Loara’s tough defense and

balanced attack was too much for Mesa to overcome.

The Saxons, sparked by Nate Von Achen’s 20 rebounds (five offensive)

and three players in double scoring figures, held a 15-12 lead by first quarter’s end.

In the second quarter, however, Loara pulled away with an opening 11-0

scoring run, before outscoring Mesa, 24-8.

“After the second quarter, we were so far behind it was a tough road

to hoe,” said Serven, whose team shot 31% from the field (19 of 61),

while Loara shot 39% (24 of 62).

To start the third quarter, both teams shot poorly -- Mesa missed its

first eight shot attempts, Loara its first 10. But Whittaker, Vakili and

Payne helped get Mesa to within 43-34, until Loara’s Bryce Sheldon canned

a buzzer-beating three-pointer.

Payne finished with 11 rebounds, six points, three blocked shots and

one steal, while Conte had 10 points off the bench.

The Mustangs will play El Modena in a consolation round Thursday at

Loara at 5 p.m.

LOARA TOURNAMENT

Loara 61, Costa Mesa 49 Score by Quarters

Costa Mesa 12 8 14 15 - 49 Loara 15 24 7 15 - 61 Costa Mesa - Payne 6, Krikorian 2, Gandia 0, Whittaker 15, Vakili 10,

Biggio 0, Millward 0, Fregoso 0, Clark 0, Cabico 6, Conte 10.

3-pt. goals - Whittaker 5, Vakili 2, Conte 2, Cabico 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technical fouls - None.

Loara - Brennan 12, Von Achen 9, Moses 12, Lozano 8, Hawkes 2, Bright

7, Sheldon 11, Roberson 0.

3-pt. goals - Brennan 2, Sheldon 2, Bright 1, Moses 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technical fouls - None.