Boys basketball: Mustangs’ climb halted

Barry Faulkner

MONROVIA - Sometimes getting over the hump doesn’t mean reaching

the summit.

The Costa Mesa High boys basketball team couldn’t get over the hump that

was host Monrovia Wednesday in a CIF Southern Section Division III-AA

first-round playoff clash won by the Wildcats, 62-51.

But, as the Mustangs begin to ponder their 40th varsity campaign, perhaps

they will eventually appreciate, even savor, the rarefied air they

managed to breath.

Among the accomplishments:

.Finishing 17-10 to end up one win shy of tying the school single-season

victory record set in 1966.

.Ending the program’s seven-year playoff absence.

.Ending a 30-game losing streak against cross-town rival Estancia, a

stretch of dominance which had reached 18 years.

.Ending a 39-game Pacific Coast League losing streak.

.Making the playoffs for only the seventh time in school history.

“We had a good season,” first-year Mesa Coach Bob Serven told his

downtrodden team, after it fell to the Rio Hondo League champions, who

improved to 23-2 and advanced to Friday’s second round.

Serven’s postgame address also included thanks to seniors Nate Jones,

Rick Hatsushi, Shaun Ferryman, Ryan Naff and Dave Weir, most of whom

joined the varsity after earning a PCL title as freshmen.

Serven then issued the call to the returners, including sharpshooting

junior Steve Whittaker, nimble, but nervous 6-foot-7 junior post Mike

Payne, and explosively talented sophomore point guard David Conte, that

today’s sixth-period basketball class is not an excused absence.

“I expect to see guys in the gym, in uniform, serious about getting

better for next year,” Serven said.

Talk of next year was all but expected in the Mustangs locker room, after

Monrovia bolted to leads of 16-4, 26-11 and 30-15.

But, as it had all season, Mesa bore down, stepped up and began chipping

away. With four different players scoring, including a three-pointer by

Naff and a three-point play by Hatsushi, the visitors scored the final 12

points before halftime to trial only 30-27.

Ferryman rolled in a short jumper to open the second half, but Mesa got

no closer.

Monrovia used 10 free throws to withstand a trio of Mesa three-pointers

in the final period and prevail.

Naff bowed out with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Whittaker also had

11 points.

Hatsushi, whose aggressive penetration lifted his team, had eight points,

four assists and four rebounds.

Ferryman finished with six points and four boards.

Bryant Markson, a 6-6 sophomore whose long arms helped him play much

bigger, led the winners with 15 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks.

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS

CIF Division III-AA first round

Monrovia 62, Costa Mesa 51

Score by Quarters

Costa Mesa 7 20 8 16 - 51

Monrovia 19 11 12 20 - 62

Costa Mesa - Naff 11, Whittaker 11, Jones 8, Hatsushi 8, Ferryman 6, Weir

3, Payne 2, Conte 2.

3-pt. goals - Naff 3, Whittaker 2, Hatsushi 1, Weir 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.

Monrovia - Markson 15, Ford 11, Smith 9, O’Hara 6, Jones 6, Dixon 5,

Porchia 4, Arbury 3, Collier 3.

3-pt. goals - Smith 2.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.