Boys basketball: Mustangs, Tars, atop boys league races

Barry Faulkner

The previous millennium was not kind to the Costa Mesa High boys

basketball program. Now in its 40th varsity season, the Mustangs have had

just 10 winning seasons, zero league titles, and haven’t won a playoff

game in a mere four chances since 1962.

But, since the ball dropped on the 1900s, Coach Bob Serven’s squad (16-4

and riding a seven-game winning streak) has assumed early control of the

Pacific Coast League race.

Newport Harbor (14-5), which hasn’t won an outright league crown since

1985, has done the same in the Sea View League, as Newport-Mesa District

teams enter what should be another eventful week.

Corona del Mar (13-5), which knocked off PCL rival Estancia Friday, is

still a capable championship contender, while the Eagles (11-8) are in

danger of being relegated to a PCL spoiler role.

Mesa visits Laguna Beach Wednesday at 7 p.m., while CdM travels to

University High in another PCL clash. Victories Wednesday for the

Mustangs and Sea Kings would make them the top two league teams,

respectively, heading into their first clash as PCL rivals Friday, at

CdM.

If Coach Paul Orris’ Sea Kings sweep their PCL games this week, they’ll

snatch no worse than a share of the league lead.

Newport Harbor, ranked No. 10 in Orange County, takes a four-game winning

streak into Wednesday’s nonleague visit to Estancia. The Sailors last

loss was a nonleague setback to Back Bay rival CdM, Jan. 4.

Coach Larry Hirst’s Sailors try to complete a perfect first round of

league play Friday at Aliso Niguel, which enters the week as the only

other team without a Sea View loss.

Estancia visits Uni Friday, then hosts county powerhouse Santa Margarita

Saturday, also at 7 p.m.

Saturday’s contest is a homecoming for Santa Margarita assistant coach

Rusty Van Cleave, who left the Estancia staff to join former Newport

Harbor and Costa Mesa head man Jerry DeBusk’s brain trust with the

parochial juggernaut.

Costa Mesa’s challenge at Laguna Beach includes defending the

inside-outside combination of guard Travis Hanour and 6-foot-10 center

Chris Manker.

Hanour, whose 27 points were the difference in a come-from-behind win at

Estancia Wednesday, is the second-leading scorer in the county at around

25 points per game. Manker, a transfer from Iowa, averages close to 20.

The Mustangs have been keyed by seniors Ryan Naff and Nate Jones, but

senior point guard Rick Hatsushi and senior guard Dave Weir have stepped

up in league.

CdM senior Kevin Hansen, yet another of the league’s supremely talented

players, has scored in double figures each of the 15 games he’s played

this season.

Harbor senior Dustin Illingworth has scored in double figures each of his

20 games this year, while junior teammate Aaron Yarnal has produced

double digits in 16 straight and 19 of 20.