Boys basketball: CdM floored by Mayfair

Richard Dunn

COSTA MESA - Wednesday was no holiday treat for Corona del Mar

High’s proud boys basketball program.

Facing Mayfair’s Monsoons in the first round of the 17th annual

Estancia Coast Classic, Coach Ryan Curry’s Sea Kings absorbed a 95-33

loss, the greatest margin of defeat in school history.

It was also the second-highest point total a CdM squad has surrendered

in a game, following a 99-45 drubbing against Mater Dei eight years ago.

Mayfair (6-4), which had an advantage in virtually every department on

the floor at Estancia High, was led by 6-foot-5 junior Chris Childress

(26 points and 13 rebounds) and 6-6 junior Justin Hawkins (23 points).

The Monsoons, who finished 26-5 last year and reached the CIF Southern

Section Division II-A title game at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim (losing

to Redondo), outrebounded Corona del Mar, 48-10.

The Sea Kings, who had one offensive rebound in 32 minutes, did not

attempt a free throw.

“We’re too three-point oriented,” Curry said. “We shot threes too

early in our offense, and, when you do that, you don’t take any time off

the clock. And if you shoot a lot of threes, you don’t get to the foul

line, and we didn’t get to the foul line. Three-pointers are good in

transition and after (the ball) has been inside.”

CdM (3-10) was 9 of 34 from beyond the three-point arc (26%) without

an inside game, and, essentially, without any offensive rebounding.

“There are answers (for a height disadvantage),” Curry said. “If

you’re not as tall as another team, you’re not as tall, so you’d better

block out, toughen up the perimeter defense and help more.”

CdM, led by junior guard Bret Matsen’s 17 points, enjoyed a 6-2 lead

after Matsen sank his second three-pointer 1:44 into the game.

But the Monsoons, who have lost this season only to perennial Southern

California powerhouses, outscored the Sea Kings, 22-0, the rest of the

first quarter.

The Monsoons continued their roll in the second quarter to build a

42-13 halftime lead, then worked the Sea Kings over in the third period,

27-8, to amass a 69-21 advantage by quarter’s end.

“We’re hoping to play Ocean View (possibly in the tournament

semifinals Friday) and Villa Park or San Clemente (in Saturday’s

finals),” said Mayfair Coach David Breig, whose squad this season has

lost to Corona Centennial by four points, Artesia in overtime and Muir in

double overtime.

“We try to play the best possible opponents to prepare for our

(Suburban) league,” added Breig, whose team was also led by senior guard

Matt McCraw’s 13 points.

Mayfair will play South Torrance today in the quarterfinals, while CdM

will face Hoover of Glendale at 9 a.m. in the consolation bracket.

ESTANCIA COAST CLASSIC

First round

Mayfair 95, Corona del Mar 33

Score by Quarters

Corona del Mar 6 7 8 12 - 33

Mayfair 24 18 27 26 - 95

Corona del Mar - Matsen 17, Najar 0, Seaborn 2, Glass 3, Welch 0,

Northridge 6, Sherick-Odom 0, Hildebrandt 2, Mancillas 3.

3-pt. goals - Matsen 5, Northridge 2, Glass 1, Mancillas 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.

Mayfair - McCraw 13, King 6, Childress 26, Hawkins 23, McFadden 7,

Prejean 5, Thomas 9, Smith 6.

3-pt. goals - McCraw 3, Hawkins 1, Thomas 1, Prejean 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.