Girls hoops: Mesa wears down El Modena

Steve Virgen

EL MODENA - By the time the fourth quarter came, in a nonleague

girls basketball game between Costa Mesa High and host El Modena, the

Mustangs were in need of just one more element to complete their

comeback.

Mesa (9-7) trailed, 24-16, at halftime. But, with defense it pulled

within one to start the fourth quarter and then hopped aboard the

“L-Train”, known to non-teammates as senior Leigh Marshall. The senior

guard scored 11 of her career-high 20 points in the fourth on

five-for-five shooting to lead Mesa to a 49-37 victory Wednesday.

“We’re not as tired as other teams are,” Mustangs Coach Jim Weeks said

of the fourth quarter. “We wore them down. Our defense was good in the

first half, but became great in the second half.”

The Mustangs wore down the Vanguards (5-8) with a suffocating

man-to-man defense that tightened its grip in the second half. Mesa

outscored El Modena, 12-5, in the third quarter and poured it on in the

fourth with a 21-8 differential as Marshall found herself in the zone.

Mesa began the fourth quarter with a 10-2 run with Marshall scoring

seven, including a three-pointer. After Laura Muniz grabbed an offensive

board with 1:15 remaining, she passed the ball to Marshall, who hit a

jump shot for a 42-37 lead forcing a Vanguard timeout.

She also knocked down a pair of free throws after an intentional foul

with 50 seconds remaining.

“I just have to get the confidence in myself,” the 5-foot-6 Marshall

said. “Coach Weeks has confidence in me and Nancy (Hatsushi) has

confidence in me. I just felt really good.”

Said Weeks, “Leigh has become a great player. She’s starting to take

on a leadership role. She’ll get hot for us and it’s usually in the

second half.”

Mesa’s defense picked up its intensity after intermission and El

Modena could not find any rhythm. The Vanguards scored just 13 points in

the final 16 minutes, displaying a lack of stamina, and the Mustangs took

advantage.

Mesa senior point guard Nancy Hatsushi scored nine points, grabbed

five rebounds, snagged three steals and dished out eight assists. And,

Christine Caron finished with seven points and eight rebounds.

El Modena closed out the first half with an 8-2 run as Mesa searched

for a spark. Players on the Mesa bench cheered for defense and the

Mustangs responded in the third quarter.

Mesa hit 5 of 7 free throws in the last minute and Caron’s layup off

an inbounds pass from Hatsushi sealed the win with 22 seconds left.

“It’s a big win because it sets us up for league,” Weeks said.

“Estancia is what we’ve been waiting for all year. One of us is going to

start off 1-0. It’s huge.”

Mesa will visit crosstown rival Estancia Tuesday at 7 p.m. to open

Pacific Coast League play.

NONLEAGUE

Costa Mesa 49, El Modena 37

Costa Mesa 7 9 12 21 - 49

El Modena 11 13 5 8 - 37

Costa Mesa - Marshall 20, Hatsushi 9, Caron 7, Naff 5, Lazos 4, Cooper

2, Trejo 2, Poncher 0, Bello 0, Grewal 0, Trinh 0, Muniz 0, Carich 0.

3-pt. goals - Marshall 2, Hatsushi 2, Naff 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.

El Modena - Orand 11, Dickson 10, Galasso 9, Jackson 2, Palmer 2, Hook

1, Baker 1, Levinson 1.

3-pt. goals - Galasso 1, Orand 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.