Chilly Mesa falls

Barry Faulkner

Discussing his team’s transition from its first five games to a

rugged holiday tournament lineup, Costa Mesa High boys basketball

coach Bob Serven said his Mustangs were headed from the frying pan to

the fire.

A more fitting kitchen metaphor for Saturday night’s 44-35 loss in

the championship game of the Valley Christian tournament at Valley

Christian High, however, may have involved a walk-in freezer.

The Mustangs, who averaged just more than six three-pointers per

game while winning its first four contests this season, were

atypically cold from the perimeter against the Lancers (7-0). And the

Mustangs’ shooting struggles finally caught up to them.

Playing for a tournament title for the first time in Serven’s five

seasons at the helm -- and, arguably, the first in the program’s 44

varsity seasons -- Mesa missed 18 of its first 20 field-goal

attempts, including a 1-for-13 first quarter that helped La Salle

seize an early advantage.

The Lancers led, 11-5, after the end of one period and, despite a

scoring error that failed to recognize one of the designated

visitors’ field goals, were up, 17-9, with 2:30 left before halftime.

But the Mustangs, with two thirds of its starting backcourt

battling illness and all-tournament junior forward Jeff Waldron

shaking off the effects of a split chin, sustained in a

second-quarter fall, battled back.

A Scott Knox three-pointer started the rally. Then, after a Knox

free throw, a Waldron layin drew Mesa within 17-16.

Tony Krikorian penetrated and dished to set up another Waldron

layin with six seconds left in the half, allowing the Mustangs to

take an unlikely 18-17 lead into the halftime locker room.

Mesa made just 6 of 26 field-goal tries in the first 16 minutes

(23.1%), yet, remarkably, had more than momentum to show for it.

Point guard Brian Molina gave the dozens of Mesa partisans in

attendance more to cheer about when he drove and dished to Marko

Stankovic, who cashed in the assist for a layup and a 20-17 lead just

11 seconds after the break.

A La Salle three-pointer knotted the score with 3:50 left in the

third quarter, but two Knox free throws and another Waldron layup,

set up by another Molina drive and dish, helped Mesa claim a 24-20

lead.

That’s when the Lancers, however, started heating up as the

Mustangs began, once again, cooling off.

During just more than a five-minute span, beginning with 1:01 left

in the third quarter, La Salle posted five of its six field goals

from beyond the arc.

By the time Brendan Hallinan poured in a three-ball with 3:49 left

in the game, La Salle was up, 41-30, and never looked back.

“We battled and battled, but we just didn’t shoot well,” said

Serven, whose team finished 13 of 48 from the field (27.1%), just 2

of 20 from threedom (a season-low 10%).

Waldron collected 14 points and 11 rebounds, despite incurring a

gash that may require stitches to close. Knox added 13 points and

four rebounds for Mesa, which earned praise from its coach.

“This was our first tough game, which was good for us,” Serven

said. “To get to the championship game of a tournament is a good

accomplishment. I think our kids showed some toughness tonight.”

*--*

Valley Christian tournament Championship

La Salle 44, Costa Mesa 35

Score by Quarters

La Salle 11 6 8 19 - 44

Costa Mesa 5 13 8 9 - 35 La Salle - Charles 4, Davies 5, Burch 17,

Hallinan 11, Virey 5. Scott 2. 3-pt. goals -

Hallinan 3, Burch 2, Virey 1. Costa Mesa -

Waldron 14, Stankovic 4, Knox 13, Molina 4,

Krikorian 0, Aleson 0, Wase 0. 3-pt. goals -

Knox 1, Waldron 1.

*--*