Eagles rout Mustangs

Estancia High alumna Celia Duran smiled as she watched the Eagles girls’ basketball team warm up for the first Battle for the Bell game Thursday night.

“I miss this,” said Duran, a two-time Newport Mesa Player of the Year who now plays at Santa Ana College.

Estancia won the rivalry game six times in eight tries with Duran, who graduated in 2014. But a player entered this year who looks like she can help the Eagles continue those winning ways.

Freshman Finley Garnett scored a game-high 26 points as the Eagles routed the Mustangs, 65-39, at Estancia High.

“It was amazing,” said Garnett, a 5-foot-8 forward who leads the Eagles with 15.2 points per game, of her first Battle for the Bell game. “I loved the crowd and everything. It’s awesome. I get so pumped.”

The Eagles (10-7, 2-0 in league) are trying for their third straight Orange Coast League title, and to win the Battle for the Bell series for the third straight year as well. Garnett could also be happy because her senior sister, Slade Garnett, is finally getting healthy.

Slade, a Newport-Mesa Dream Team selection a year ago who tore her ACL in August, played in her second game of the season on Thursday. She had three points, three rebounds and six steals.

“I’m excited that I got to get back early, because I wanted to play with my sister,” Slade Garnett said. “I just have to be careful.”

The steals were a theme for Estancia, which nabbed 26 of them. Junior point guard Maya Van Den Heever (nine points) had 11 steals, as well as four blocks. Finley Garnett added six steals, while Nefertiti Van Den Heever, senior co-captain Gianna Guyot and junior Jocelyn Alanis had three steals each.

Estancia didn’t take its first lead until midway through the first quarter, at 8-7, on a three-pointer by Finley Garnett. But the Eagles were well in control at halftime, with a 32-13 advantage after Garnett buried a jumper at the buzzer.

Costa Mesa (5-13, 0-2) struggled offensively. Depth has been a problem for the Mustangs, beyond the only two returning contributors from last year, senior co-captain Aubriona Mathis and junior Katherine Lawerence. Mathis had 16 points and 10 rebounds Thursday night, while Lawrence had 15 points and six rebounds.

“We’ve been working and working, and nothing worked out for us today,” Costa Mesa Coach Nichole Maddox said. “Don’t get me wrong, they did play good defense. They played well tonight. They outhustled us. We didn’t hustle when it was time to hustle, and it showed in the score.

“For the most part, we have a lot of new bodies to varsity. Katie and Aubriona are the only two returning players that have played a lot ... Our depth is not there, but the thing is that the kids have it in them. We just have to find a way to make it work.”

Estancia, ranked No. 11 in CIF Southern Section Division 4AA, made it work in the second half. Maya Van Den Heever wowed the home crowd with a couple of crossover dribble moves, as well as a couple of no-look passes that led to assists. Estancia senior co-captain Eliza Jason contributed eight points, six rebounds and three blocks.

Xavier Castellano, the co-coach with Judd Fryslie for the girls’ basketball team for the last six years, applauded from the stands. Castellano is now the boys’ head coach, leaving Fryslie with the girls’ head coaching job to himself.

“It’s actually pretty different,” Slade Garnett said. “Coach Fryslie’s more quiet, less intense. I mean, he’s still awesome. It just makes us more disciplined ourselves. We have to pay attention a lot.”

Estancia continues league play Tuesday at home against Laguna Beach, a game that could have league title implications. The Breakers finished second in league last season and are also 2-0 this year.

Maya Van Den Heever had a prediction after Thursday’s rout.

“I think we’re going to go 10-0 [in league],” she said. “Yeah, definitely.”

Costa Mesa plays host to Godinez on Tuesday.

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Orange Coast League

Estancia 65, Costa Mesa 39

SCORE BY QUARTERS

CM 9 – 4 – 12 – 14 — 39

Est 17 – 15 – 16 – 17 — 65

CM – Mathis 16, Lawrence 15, Aguirre 7, Gomez 1.

3-pt. goals – Lawrence 3, Mathis 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

Est – F. Garnett 26, M. Van Den Heever 9, Jason 8, G. Guyot 7, N. Van Den Heever 4, S. Garnett 3, Gomez 2, Martinez 2, Letterman 2, D. Guyot 1, Alanis 1.

3-pt. goals – M. Van Den Heever 2, F. Garnett 1, S. Garnett 1, G. Guyot 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.