Girls basketball: Mesa runs out of gas

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - Costa Mesa High Coach Jim Weeks said his team lacked

“attitude,” in the closing moments of a 60-57 loss to Brethren Christian

in the first round of Mesa’s 19th annual Winter Classic Wednesday.

After pulling down two straight offensive rebounds, the Warriors (8-2)

grabbed their first lead of the game, 57-55, with 1:04 left.

Mesa starting senior guard Eileen Bello knocked down a bank-shot off a

runner, just inside the three-point line, with 0:06 left.

But Brethren sophomore Emily Wilson hit a pair of free throws with 5.9

seconds left to provide enough cushion for the win.

“We’re struggling with what it takes to win games,” Weeks said. “We

got the effort, but we need the attitude.”

The Mustangs (3-8) led by as many as six (24-18) with 2:16 left in the

first half, after junior Rhondi Naff made both of her free throws. Naff

scored a game-high 23 points, hitting 12 of 18 from the foul line.

Brethren Christian answered with 5-foot-10 senior Heather Sowart, who

scored a team-high 22 points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. Sowart,

usually a starter for the Warriors, came off the bench Wednesday because

she was late for the team bus.

She put in 10 of her 14 shots all from inside the paint.

Costa Mesa built a 26-21 halftime lead, as Naff scored six points in

the second quarter, sinking all of her free throws. But the Warriors

scored five straight points in the first minute of the third quarter to

tie the score, 26-26.

In the fourth quarter, after a Brethren missed free throw, Sowart

grabbed an offensive rebound and teammate Janae Jett also pulled down an

offensive board after Sowart’s miss. Jett dished off an assist to Wilson

for the Warriors’ first lead.

The Mustangs will face Saddleback Valley Christian today at 10:30 a.m.

in a consolation round game. Brethren takes on Newport Harbor in the

second round at 8 p.m. in Mesa’s girls gym.