Boys basketball: Mesa prevails in renewed rivalry

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - If last year’s split, including the first Costa Mesa

High boys basketball win over crosstown rival Estancia in 18 years,

terminated “The Streak,” the first battle between city and Pacific Coast

League rivals this season triggered a new beginning.

Indeed all the atmosphere surrounding Costa Mesa’s 57-44 road win

Wednesday, as well as the action on the floor in the PCL tipoff for both

schools, pointed to one unavoidable truth.

“The Rivalry,” complete with an unpredictable outcome, is officially

back.

“It’s not one-sided anymore,” said Mesa Coach Bob Serven, after his

Mustangs (11-5) pulled away down the stretch of a game that was closer

than the score might indicate. “At least I hope it’s not one-sided.”

It was only the second Mesa victory over Estancia (5-10) in the last

33 games between the two, the first on the Eagles’ floor, it is believed,

since 1982.

“It was league and it was Estancia and I told our kids the intensity

would be up a couple notches from what most of them had experienced

before,” Serven said.

Rooting sections from both schools, divided virtually equally, held

little back, cheering their teams, rousing the referees and even

grumbling disapproval toward the opposition.

And, despite several frantic flurries, which left bodies strewn about

the floor on several occasions, sportsmanship and mutual respect carried

the day.

“I thought our kids played their hearts out,” Estancia Coach Chris

Sorce said. “Costa Mesa is a good team and we did a pretty good job, for

the most part.”

Serven was equally gracious toward Estancia, which, he acknowledged,

was handicapped by the loss of top scorer Eliasar Maldonado, who served a

mandatory one-game suspension after being ejected from the Eagles’ final

league tuneup.

“Not having him hurt them,” Serven said. “I’m very happy to get out of

here with a win. We didn’t want to be 0-1 (in league) going to University

(a first-place showdown Friday at 7 p.m.).”

Thanks to the offensive heroics of junior guards David Conte and Nolan

Clark, as well as strong team defense, the Mustangs remained atop the

league standings. They also clinched an automatic berth in the CIF

Southern Section playoffs, by reaching the required 11-win plateau.

“I don’t want us to get in the playoffs for 11 wins,” Serven said. “I

want it to be because we finished well in league.”

Conte insured a solid PCL start, collecting a career-high 24 points

and adding seven assists and five steals.

Clark came off the bench to score 12 points and his defensive pressure

in the backcourt produced four steals and helped turn the tide his team’s

way.

“Nolan played great, especially on defense,” Serven said. “He was all

over the court.”

Conte, who hit four of the Mustangs’ seven three-pointers, was 8 of 11

from the field (73%) and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line. When not

creating his own shot, he penetrated, drew the defense and dishing to his

teammates.

Conte had five points early to spark a 7-0 Mesa lead, but Estancia,

executing a well-conceived game plan, refused to relent.

The Eagles closed the game to 12-9, heading into the second period,

when 14 points from junior Micah Young helped them pull ahead, 24-23,

with 1:50 left in the half.

Three-pointers by Chad Vakili and Steve Whittaker earned the Mustangs

a 29-28 halftime lead, but a three-point play by Freddy Rodriguez midway

through the third quarter knotted it at 36.

Kenny Valbuena’s layup brought Estancia to within 42-40 with 6:19

left, but the Eagles managed just one field goal in the next 6:08,

enabling the Mustangs to pull away.

Young added 17 rebounds for the Eagles, while Vakili was the third

Mustang to score in double figures with 10.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

bCosta Mesa 57, Estancia 44

Score by Quarters

Costa Mesa 12 17 13 15 - 57

Estancia 9 19 10 6 - 44

Costa Mesa - Conte 24, Clark 12, Vakili 10, Payne 6, Whittaker 5,

Millward 0, Biggio 0, Fregoso 0, Amburgey 0, Cabico 0.

3-pt. goals - Conte 4, Whittaker 1, Vakili 1, Clark 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.

Estancia - Young 14, Prado 9, K. Valbuena 6, Rodriguez 5, D. Valbuena

4, Romero 4, Berame 2, Phan 0, Niles 0.

3-pt. goals - Prado 2.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.