Girls basketball: Mesa hangs tough, but falls

Tony Altobelli

COSTA MESA - It was a tall order, literally, for the Costa Mesa

High girls basketball team in Friday night’s 60-56 loss to Lake

Washington High of Kirkland, Wash. in the semifinals of the Costa Mesa

Winter Classic.

“Those guys are in the top three or four in their state every year,”

Mesa Coach Jim Weeks said of the Kangaroos. “We stepped up tonight

against a real quality opponent.”

Nancy Hatsushi led the Mustangs with 15 points, while Christine Caron

chipped in with four.

All 12 players scored for Lake Washington. Alicia Tennyson led all

scorers with 16 points.

The Mustangs (8-6) tried to use their quickness to negate the

Kangaroos’ vertical dominance. Their speed cost Lake Washington numerous

fouls, which Mesa converted to the tune of 17 of 19 from the free-throw

line in the first half.

With the score tied at 32-32 midway through the third quarter, Lake

Washington (6-2) went on a 7-0 run to take the lead for good.

Mesa cut the deficit to two, twice in the fourth quarter, but could

not find the equalizer down the stretch.

“We’re getting there,” Weeks said. “We’re still looking for the same

intensity from our team that we’ll see from teams like Estancia and

Corona del Mar.”

COSTA MESA WINTER CLASSIC

Championship semifinals

Lake Washington 60, Costa Mesa 56

Lake Washington 15 12 14 19 - 60

Costa Mesa 9 18 8 21 - 56

Lake Washington - Jacobs 5, Burnett 2, Tennyson 16, Frame 4, Sonneborn

1, M. LeSourd 2, F. LeSourd 6, Martin 9, Hooper 4, Thomas 3, Van Nostra

4, Keeslar 4.

3 pt. goals - Jacobs 1, Martin 1.

Fouled out - none.

Costa Mesa - Caron 12, Cooper 6, Hatsushi 15, Trejo 5, Muniz 3,

Marshall 9, Carich 0, Lazos 2, Naff 4.

3 pt. goals - Hatsushi 1, Trejo 1, Marshall 1.

Fouled out - Marshall.