Mesa escapes with win

Tony Altobelli

IRVINE - It was a game the Costa Mesa High girls basketball team

had to have and junior Christine Caron made sure the Mustangs took it.

Caron’s jump-shot with 18 seconds left helped propel Mesa past host

University, 49-48, in a crucial Pacific Coast League matchup Thursday

night.

“Most people are picking us and Uni behind CdM and Estancia, so this

was a huge game for us in terms of positioning,” Mesa Coach Jim Weeks

said. “This helps us take one step closer toward forgetting about the

Estancia game.”

It took the entire Mustangs’ coral to pull this game out. Sophomore

Rhondi Naff led Mesa with 12 points, while Nancy Hatsushi contributed

nine points and seven steals.

“With our two top scorers having off nights, it was very important to

have other people step up and contribute,” Weeks said. “Rhondi had a nice

night, as did Laura Muniz (seven points).”

Priority No. 1 for the Mustangs (10-8, 1-1 in league) was to

neutralize University’s 6-foot-2 standout center Kirsten von Tungeln. The

senior managed to score 12 points and grab 15 rebounds, but Mesa’s duo of

Lauren Carich and Maria Lazos kept her offensive rebounds to only three.

“She’s (von Tungeln) the top rebounder in Orange County, so,

obviously, she was a major concern of ours,” Weeks said. “Lauren and

Maria did a great job of boxing her out and keeping her from loose balls.

Kirsten had to work hard for everything she got tonight and perhaps she

got tired down the stretch.”

Mesa had a 47-44 lead with under two minutes remaining, but a jumper

by the Trojans’ Kristen Yeo (10 points) cut the lead to one.

Following a missed Mustangs’ shot, Yeo was fouled and she calmly

drained both free throws, giving Uni a 48-47 lead with 48 seconds left.

Both teams turned the ball over, setting up Caron’s heroics. She took

the pass from just beyond the free-throw line and in the same motion,

drained an 18-footer to give Mesa the lead for good. Caron finished with

eight points.

“The play was designed for a three-pointer in the corner, but Caron’s

shot is the second option,” Weeks said. “I have all the confidence in the

world that she could step up and make the big shot when we needed it

most.”

University (7-9, 1-1) missed on its next trip down the floor, but Mesa

missed its front end of a 1-and-1 free-throw opportunity.

With 6.7 seconds remaining, University tried to hustle down court for

one last shot, but a Trojans’ 30-foot, buzzer-beater hit the front of the

rim, causing all of the Mustangs’ faithful to gasp and sigh in relief.

“It looked like it had a chance to go in,” Weeks admitted to Uni Coach

Bob Bernal as the two shook hands.

The Mustangs led, 27-25, at halftime. The 27 points surpassed the

team’s total against Estancia (42-26) on Tuesday night.

The win over the Trojans gives Costa Mesa momentum heading into a

five-game PCL homestand, beginning with Northwood on Tuesday night at 7.

“If we can pull out wins over Northwood and Laguna Beach in our next

two games, that will put us 3-1 and we’re right back into the picture

with games against CdM and Estancia at home,” Weeks said.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Costa Mesa 49, University 48

Costa Mesa 12 15 12 10 - 49

University 9 16 12 11 - 48

Costa Mesa - Naff 12, Hatsushi 9, Caron 8, Muniz 7, Trejo 5, Lazos 4,

Marshall 2, Carich 2, Cooper 0.

3 pt. goals - Hatsushi 1, Trejo 1.

Fouled out - none.

University - von Tungeln 12, Yeo 10, Ariazand 6, Dajani 6, Pontell 6,

Anaya 2, Farrell 2, Janda 2, Sutter 2.

3 pt. goals - none.

Fouled out - none.