Boys basketball: Mustangs tune up against Panthers

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - Not too long ago, a 20-point victory for the Costa

Mesa High boys basketball program would have opened the highlight video

and triggered the disco ball.

Wednesday night, however, Coach Bob Serven was less than bubbly after

his Mustangs (10-5) dispatched visiting Orange, 66-46, in Mesa’s final

Pacific Coast League tuneup.

“It looked like a vacation pick-up game,” said Serven, whose team won

by as many as 20 for the third time this season, the eighth time since

Serven took over 42 games ago.

“We played better defense in the second half and we have enough guys

who can shoot that we’re not going to have too many off nights on

offense,” Serven added. “But we have to play better than that to beat the

teams we’ll play in league.”

Serven’s exacting standards aside, the Mustangs were too much for the

Panthers (1-11), who executed well enough to forge a modest 34-28

halftime deficit.

But the Mustangs, who came in getting nearly 55% of their points from

beyond the three-point arc, hit 12 of 26 three-point attempts to better

their 10.5 three-ball average.

Senior Steve Whittaker hit three of “Costa Missiles” five three balls

in the first quarter, in which the hosts claimed a 23-12 lead.

But Orange outscored Mesa, 16-11, the second eight minutes to keep

things interesting.

Five different Mustangs scored in the third quarter, including

three-pointers from Whittaker, Chad Vakili and David Conte, to push the

lead to 49-33 by quarter’s end.

And when Conte and Vakili opened the fourth period with

three-pointers, all that remained was some Serven shouting.

Vakili, a junior, paced the winners with 20 points, while Conte (18)

and Whittaker (12) were also in double figures. The trio canned four

three-pointers each to up the Mustangs’ season total to 158.

Whittaker added a team-high six rebounds and five assists, while Conte

chipped in four steals.

Senior Mike Payne contributed five blocked shots, four rebounds and

four points, while Jun Gandia procured four steals off the bench as all

12 Mustangs played.

Anthony Neal, who drained five three balls, led Orange with 21 points.

Despite his outward disgust with his team’s lack of polish, Serven is

hopeful the preleague season has put his team in position to pursue its

peak.

“We still haven’t played our best basketball yet,” Serven said. “And,

for that to be the case with a 10-5 record, is promising. We’re still

young and every game’s a new experience. But if we can put together all

phases of our game, we can be pretty dangerous.”

Mesa forced 20 turnovers and bothered the Panthers into a 32% shooting

performance (15 of 47).

The Mustangs hit 26 of 50 field-goal attempts and hit both free

throws, as both teams finished a combined 11 of 11 from the foul line.

Mesa visits crosstown rival Estancia to tip off PCL play Wednesday at

7 p.m.

NONLEAGUE

Costa Mesa 66, Orange 46

Score by Quarters

Orange 12 16 5 13 - 46

Costa Mesa 23 11 15 17 - 66

Orange - Neal 21, Goldman 9, De la Mora 8, Hancock 4, Sandoval 2, Love

2.

3-pt. goals - Neal 5, De la Mora 2.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.

Costa Mesa - Vakili 20, Conte 18, Whittaker 12, Clark 6, Krikorian 4,

Payne 4, Cabico 2, Candia 0, Millward 0, Fregoso 0, Biggio 0, Amburgey 0.

3-pt. goals - Whittaker 4, Conte 4, Vakili 4.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.