Mesa trio aims for grand finale

boys hoops previewMolina, Krikorian and Knox have meshed well as they enter their fourth season together on the Mustangs’ boys’ basketball team, which had a breakout year in 2004.When Brian Molina, Tony Krikorian and Scott Knox take to the court this year for Costa Mesa High’s boys’ basketball team, they will be doing it for the fourth consecutive season.

The trio has been varsity teammates since they were freshmen. The three seniors form the nucleus for a Mustangs team that will look to surpass last year’s school-record 18-win season, second-place finish in the Golden West League and CIF Southern Section Division III-A quarterfinals run.

When the Mustangs defeated Sherman Oaks Notre Dame in the second round of the playoffs last year after a first-round bye, it marked their first postseason win in 42 years. Molina, Krikorian and Knox led the way, combining for 44 points and 10 three-pointers.

The threesome form a strong friendship off the court and mesh well on the court for the Mustangs, who open their season Dec. 6 against El Toro in the Bill Reynolds Classic at Newport Harbor.

Molina, a quick point guard, and Krikorian -- still getting his basketball legs back after football season -- were first-team All-Golden West League picks last year. Knox, the best shooter on the team, was a first-team all-league selection his sophomore and junior years and an All-CIF pick last season.

“They all bring something different to the table,” said second-year Mustangs Coach Ryan Schachter. “Molina is a great floor leader, he runs the show, he’s a great penetrator, he can distribute the ball and play pressure defense. Krikorian is a very good shooter and an excellent defensive player -- he flies around the court and gets a lot of steals. Knox, at 6-2, is the biggest of the three. He’s an excellent outside shooter. He’s expanded from a three-point shooter to a player who can also shoot mid-range shots.”

Knox and Krikorian have known each other since the sixth grade, and Molina met Krikorian in the seventh grade. The three have been joined at the hip during basketball season since they first played on varsity as freshmen.

“Most guys only play together their junior and senior years at the most,” Molina said. “We’ve got four years together.”

Molina is the point man off and on the court, handling the ball for a Mustangs offense that plans to run and gun.

“We’re going to have to push the ball and create a fast-paced tempo,” Schachter said. “We can’t play a half-court game. We don’t have the strength or size we had last year. We don’t have that physicality. We want to speed up other teams’ shots. We’ll probably press -- and shoot often.”

Molina will be crucial to that, limiting turnovers and getting the ball to the Mustangs’ top scorers, like Knox and Krikorian.

“Brian makes our jobs so much easier,” Krikorian said. “He lets Scott and I just spot up.”

“We have confidence that if we get in trouble with the ball, we can always kick it off to each other,” Knox said. “We anticipate and know what the other guys are doing.”

The cohesiveness between the three works on defense as well.

“We cover for each other on defense -- sometimes it’s an unspoken thing,” Krikorian said.

Molina put it in perspective: “Tony and I trap, we knock the ball down and Scott picks it up and gets credit for the steal,” he said with a laugh.

The three teammates stay close off the court too, hanging out together or going to the park to play dunk ball. Even then, Molina runs the show when it comes to talking.

“Scott is a pretty quiet guy -- B. Mo does most of the talking,” Krikorian said.

“We have a good time and pick on each other, but it’s all in fun,” Molina said.

Krikorian should be particularly motivated for success this after his time on the football team, which narrowly missed out on a playoff berth. Coming off a 2-8 year in football, Krikorian said he is excited about the potential of the basketball team.

“Coming back from a tough year in football, I’m looking forward to how good we can be,” he said.

“I think we can make a run for the league title, or at least give it a good shot,” Knox said.

The litmus test for Costa Mesa will be its league contests against cross-town rival Estancia and Ocean View. The Mustangs’ chances for a league title certainly increase with Molina, Krikorian and Knox leading the way.

“They hang out off the court and feed off each other on the court,” Schachter said. “They are a very close group with a lot of experience. We hope that experience will carry us.”

CORONA DEL MAR SEA KINGS

Coach: Ryan Curry (fifth year)

2004-05 record: 9-16, 4-6 in Pacific Coast League.

Returning starters: G Ryan Lance (6-1, Sr.); F Scott Slaughter (6-7, Sr.); F Stefan Kaluz (6-7, So.).

Key newcomers: G Erik Rask (6-0, So.); G Chais Pinesett (6-0, So.); F John Joyce (6-6, Jr.).

Key dates: at Newport Harbor, Dec. 2; at Estancia, Dec. 21; at University, Jan. 4; at Laguna Beach, Jan. 18; at home vs. University, Jan. 20; at home vs. Laguna Beach, Feb. 6.

Outlook: CdM has good size with 6-foot-7 forwards Scott Slaughter and Stefan Kaluz and 6-foot-6 forward John Joyce. Slaughter and Kaluz were part-time starters last year. Slaughter will be sidelined for a couple of weeks with a broken nose.

Junior Austin Evett will work the point. Seniors Matt Doran, Ryan Lance and junior Ryan Anderson are all shooting guard/small forward-type players. Lance was a second-team all-league pick last year.

CdM hopes to improve on last year’s 9-16 mark and earn an automatic playoff berth out of the league. Tesoro, University and Northwood are considered the top teams.

COSTA MESA MUSTANGS

Coach: Ryan Schachter (second year)

2004-05 record: 18-10, 10-2 in Golden West League

Returning starters: G Brian Molina (5-8, Sr.); G Tony Krikorian (5-11, Sr.); G Scott Knox (6-2, Sr.).

Key newcomers: G Moses Titus (5-10, Jr.); F Cody Waldron (6-3, Jr.).

Key dates: at home vs. Estancia, Jan. 10; at Ocean View, Jan. 17; at Estancia, Jan. 25, at home vs. Ocean View, Feb. 6.

Outlook: With a ton of experience in the backcourt with Tony Krikorian, Brian Molina and Scott Knox, the Mustangs expect to contend for the league title and improve on their school-best 18 wins of last year.

Six-foot-2 center Ryan French and 6-foot-3 forward Larry Puente move from reserve roles into the starting lineup for the Mustangs. They will try to provide an inside presence for a team that lost some significant size to graduation.

Costa Mesa expects to encounter stiff resistance in its quest for a league title when it faces Ocean View -- which has the size -- and Estancia -- its cross-town rivals. Saddleback and Santa Ana could also surprise.

ESTANCIA EAGLES

Coach: Jason Simco (second year)

2004-05 record: 23-6, 11-1 in Golden West League.

Returning starters: W Michael McDaniels (6-3, Sr.); W Dallas Kopp (6-6, Sr.); G Shaun Markley (5-11, Sr.).

Key newcomers: F Taylor McLanahan (6-2, Jr.); G Troy McLanahan (6-0, Fr.); G Mark Allred (5-10, So.)

Key dates: at home vs. Corona del Mar, Dec. 21; at Costa Mesa, Jan. 10; at home vs. Ocean View, Jan. 13; at home vs. Costa Mesa, Jan. 25; at Ocean View, Feb. 2.

Outlook: Former Estancia player Jason Simco, 23, starts his second year at the helm. Simco led the Eagles to their first league title since 1997 and to the CIF Division III-A semifinals last year. But he lost league MVP Carlos Pinto (Irvine Valley College), who led the team in almost every statistical category. Pinto’s younger brother, junior guard Blake Pinto, should help pick up the slack.

Estancia will have a more balanced team offensively. Simco expects Michael McDaniels to lead the team in scoring and Dallas Kopp to emerge as the go-to guy.

The Golden West League should be a three-team race between Costa Mesa, Ocean View and Estancia.

NEWPORT HARBOR SAILORS

Coach: Larry Hirst (11th year)

2004-05 record: 17-10, 8-2 Sea View League

Returning starters: F Dennis Heenan (6-6, Sr.); F Robert Koon (6-1, Sr.); F Parker Stevens (6-4, Sr.).

Key newcomers: C Weston Dunlap (6-7, Jr.).

Key dates: at home vs. Corona del Mar, today; hosting Newport Harbor Tournament, Dec. 6 to Dec. 10; at Woodbridge, Jan. 6; at home vs. Aliso Niguel, Jan. 13; at home vs. Woodbridge, Jan. 25.

Outlook: The Sailors like to run a man-to-man defense, which Coach Larry Hirst says is the strength of the team.

Eleven of Newport’s 13 players are seniors, but they don’t have much in the way of varsity experience. Seniors Ted Slater and Parker Stevens are slated to start at forward with newcomer Dunlap, a 6-foot-7 junior, starting at center. Dennis Heenan and Robert Koon return as the starting guards.

Tom Jackson, coming over from football, and returner Tony Yaghjian should be big contributors for Newport.

Woodbridge appears to be the class of the Sea View League, while last year’s league champion, Aliso Niguel, lost all of its starters. But Newport can’t be counted out.

SAGE HILL LIGHTNING

Coach: Steve Keith (fourth year)

2004-05 record: 16-11, 3-7 in Academy League

Returning starters: G Tim Lefler (6-0, Sr.); G Jamie McGee (6-1, So.); F Shane Webster (6-3, Sr.); C Michael Morgan (6-4, Sr.).

Key newcomers: G Austin Apramian (5-11, So.); G Tom Multari (5-8, So.); F Troy Astorino (6-1, Fr.); F Doug McAfee (6-1 Jr.).

Key dates: Dec. 7 to Dec. 10 at San Diego Small Schools Tournament; Jan. 6 at Oxford Academy; Jan. 13 at St. Margaret’s; Feb. 3 at home vs. St. Margaret’s.

Outlook: St. Margaret’s is the favorite in the Academy League and Sage Hill plans to do all they can to knock them off. If the Lightning can’t dethrone the Tartans, a playoff appearance is still very possible.

Perimeter players Tim Lefler, Jamie McGee and Nick Witte lead the way. Lefler, a four-year varsity player, is the team’s best defensive player.

Michael Morgan and Shane Webster will do the banging inside. Six-foot-3 cross country runner Connor Rose, who saw time off the bench last year, is a wing/post player with long arms and legs. Keith expects him to blossom into a great player.

McGee was the team’s second offensive option as a freshman last year after Matt Loper, who averaged 20 points a game. Loper graduated and now attends MIT.

Witte played injured most of last year, then had shoulder surgery in the offseason.

Sage Hill has made the playoffs two out of the last three years, with one playoff win under its belt. The Lightning think they can make the playoffs and hope to add to their win total once they’re there.20051202i8y7wskfMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Costa Mesa’s Tony Krikorian, right, is one of the team’s three main weapons entering this season.20051202iqupm5knMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Costa Mesa’s Scott Knox, left, Brian Molina, center, and Tony Krikorian, right, have played on the Mustangs’ varsity boys’ basketball team together since they were freshman.