Boys basketball: Artists edge Mesa, 53-52

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - According to Coach Bob Serven, the Costa Mesa High

boys basketball team lost its equivalent of a Pacific Coast League

semifinal game, 53-52, to visiting Laguna Beach Wednesday night.

Tonight, the Mustangs (17-8, 3-4 in league) host Corona del Mar in what,

for Serven’s squad, amounts to a third-place game.

“This is a heart-wrenching loss, because we had it in our hands,” Serven

said. “But I’m happy to be playing again tonight). I’d rather get right

back on the court, than sit around another day and think about this one.”

There was as much to think about as there was at stake for both teams.

Mesa came in with a chance to earn a share of its first league

championship ever.

Laguna Beach (7-17, 4-4) needed a win to retain its hopes of making the

CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs, after forfeiting nine wins

previously for the use of an ineligible player.

Mesa, even if it drops to fourth place with a loss to league-leading CdM

tonight, will advance to the postseason as an at-large team, having met

the 10-win requirement.

Should Mesa win, it would force a playoff including, at least Laguna

Beach, and possibly University (which enters tonight’s game at Estancia

4-3 in league). Any league playoff(s) would be held Friday at Northwood

High in Irvine.

“We came in hoping to win two this week and get a piece of the

championship,” Serven said. “We did all the things we wanted to do

tonight and I thought we should have won this game.”

That argument strained credibility when the Artists held Mesa without a

field goal in the third quarter, turning a 28-27 halftime lead into a

42-30 edge.

“You don’t have a three-point quarter (all foul shots) and win games,”

Serven growled to no one in particular as the third-quarter wound down.

But the Mustangs nearly did just that with a valiant fourth-quarter

surge, which included four of their 10 three-pointers.

A three-ball by senior Ryan Naff with 6:36 left ignited a 13-0 Mustang

run, which included a pair of three-pointers by senior point guard Rick

Hatsushi.

Hatsushi’s second bomb from the top of the key gave the hosts an

improbable 45-44 lead with 3:28 left.

Chris Manker, Laguna’s 6-foot-10 senior center, scored five straight

points to put the visitors up by four with 1:39 left, but Naff drilled a

three-pointer 16 seconds later and the Mesa defense forced three straight

turnovers to assume apparent command.

After a Naff free throw tied it, Hatsushi picked an Artist guard clean

for a steal, then dashed the distance for a layin to make it 52-50 with

41 seconds left.

Naff intercepted a pass on the ensuing possession and teammate Steve

Whittaker hit the front end of a one-and-one to make it a three-point

lead with 33 ticks remaining.

Manker was fouled trying to follow his own miss inside and drained both

foul shots with 13 seconds left.

Mesa was fouled immediately on the ensuing inbounds play, then missed the

front end. Manker rebounded and outletted to senior guard Travis Hanour,

who drew a blocking foul 25 feet from the basket with seven seconds left.

Hanour, whom Serven said will get his vote for Orange County Player of

the Year and may be the most talented player in the 14-year history of

the PCL, sank both free throws.

Mesa’s driving layup attempt caromed off the side of the rim at the

buzzer and Laguna celebrated a perfect second round, after forfeiting

three league wins and losing another the first time through the circuit.

Naff (four three-pointers) led Mesa with 15 points, followed by

Hatsushi’s 14, including 10 in the final period.

Hanour, who hit nine straight field-goal attempts in one stretch,

finished with 23 points. Manker chipped in 20.

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS

Pacific Coast League

Laguna Beach 53, Costa Mesa 52

Score by Quarters

Laguna Beach 15 13 14 11 - 53

Costa Mesa 15 12 3 22 - 52

Laguna Beach - Hanour 23, Manker 20, Butters 4, Boyd 4, Blodgett 2.

3-pt. goals - Hanour 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.

Costa Mesa - Naff 15, Hatsushi 14, Weir 7, Whittaker 7, Jones 6, Ferryman

3, Conte 0, Payne 0.

3-pt. goals - Naff 4, Hatsushi 2, Whittaker 2, Weir 2.

Fouled out - Jones.

Technicals - None.