Boys basketball: Mustangs not short on intangibles

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - Mike Payne, a 6-foot-7 senior, is a legitimate

exception, but Costa Mesa High boys basketball coach Bob Serven is merely

bending to tradition when he designates anyone else on his 12-player

roster a front-court player.

With the rest of the Mustangs all ranging from 5-foot-8 to 6-2

(including the customary roster embellishment), one could safely tab

Serven’s squad the “G men,” a reference to the common roster abbreviation

for guard.

Despite this lack of height, as well as the loss of five of his top

six players from last year’s breakthrough 17-10 playoff team, Serven, in

his second year with the Mustangs, clings to cautious optimism.

“The one thing I don’t have to talk about with this group is

chemistry,” Serven said. “They have it. And, being my second year, we’re

farther along now than we were at this time last year. We don’t want last

year to be a one-year wonder. We want to have good teams, competitive

teams, year-in and year-out.”

Serven dispensed praise from a laundry list of intangibles when

discussing this group, which now expects success.

Mesa had not been to the playoffs in seven seasons, until last year,

which included a 17-4 start, but ended in a first-round CIF Division

III-AA playoff loss to Monrovia.

Ryan Naff (second-team All-CIF), Nate Jones, who joined Naff on the

Newport-Mesa District Dream Team, Ryan Weir (second-team All-Pacific

Coast League), as well as Rick Hatsushi and Ryan Ferryman, have

graduated, taking a combined 47 points per game with them.

But senior Steve Whittaker averaged 8.1 points, including some

starting assignments, and his leadership and work ethic have set an

impressive tone, according to Serven.

“He’s our leader,” Serven said of the 6-0 guard, whom Serven expects

to well exceed the 50 three-pointers he drilled as a junior.

“No knock on Steve, but he may be our third-best three-point shooter

this year,” Serven said.

Returners David Conte, a 5-10 junior, and Danny Krikorian, a 6-0

sophomore, can also bomb from long range. But Conte, who will start at

point guard, is a quality ballhandler and passer, who doesn’t need to

score to contribute.

Krikorian, an extremely hard worker, fits in wherever Serven needs

him.

“He’s like the last piece of the puzzle,” Serven said.

Payne, in his third varsity season, has averaged 3.4 points in 47

games. But, Serven believes Payne could “come into his own,” this year.

“He’s a late bloomer, who has worked very hard on his game,” Serven

said. “He’s a very good shot blocker and he’s developed a nice little

post game. He’ll play 30 minutes a game, unless he’s in foul trouble.”

The fifth starting spot is up for grabs, according to Serven, who

lists Chad Vakili, a 5-11 junior, and Nolan Clark, a 5-10 junior who

earned MVP honors on last year’s junior varsity, among the primary

contenders.

Jun Gandia, a 5-10 junior, should back up Conte, while Jason Millward,

a 6-2 junior, is Payne’s heir apparent in the post.

Junior Nick Cabico, who got some varsity minutes as a freshman, but

sat out last year, when he spent his first semester at Mater Dei, joins

fellow football players Charlie Amburgey and Sean Biggio as those who

will add depth.

Carlos Fregoso, a 6-1 senior, up from the JV, should also contribute.

“Our guys have a good basketball IQ and they play bigger than they

are,” Serven said.

The Mustangs, expected to chase University and Northwood in the PCL

race, open Tuesday in the Loara Tournament, facing the host Saxons at

4:30 p.m.

Costa Mesa boys basketball

3 David Conte 5-10 Jr G

5 Sean Biggio 6-0 Sr. F

10 Danny Krikorian 6-0 So. G

12 Jun Gandia 5-10 Sr. G

20 Steve Whittaker 6-0 Sr. G

22 Nick Cabico 5-8 Jr. G

23 Chad Vakili 5-11 Jr. G

24 Nolan Clark 5-10 Jr. G

31 Mike Payne 6-7 Sr. C

40 Carlos Fregoso 6-1 Sr. F

44 Jason Millward 6-2 Jr. F-C

50 Charlie Amburgey 6-1 Sr. C

Coach: Bob Serven