Mesa clinches No. 1 berth

SANTA ANA — The past two games served as a crystal ball for Jim Weeks and his Costa Mesa High girls’ basketball team.

Tuesday, the Mustangs held Estancia to 24 points, the fewest by a Costa Mesa opponent this season.

The following game, Thursday, Laguna Beach managed only 23 points through three quarters against the Mustangs and Weeks said his team held the Breakers’ duo of Emily Larose and Brittany Clark to nine points through the first 20 minutes after the pair had scored a combined 38 and 37, respectivey, in the first two meetings.

So it was no surprise that the defense built to a crescendo Monday against Calvary Chapel with the Orange Coast League’s top playoff spot and at least a share of the league title on the line. The Mustangs proved foretelling in defeating Calvary Chapel, 38-29, Monday in a game in which they never trailed.

Costa Mesa (16-10, 7-1 in league) clinched the league’s top playoff spot because with one game remaining, it can do no worse than finish with the same league record as the Eagles (20-6, 6-2), and Costa Mesa won the season series two games to one.

The Mustangs, ranked No. 4 in CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA, also clinched a share of their first league title since 1998.

To win the league outright, Costa Mesa will need a victory over cross-town rival Estancia Wednesday or a loss by Calvary Chapel, ranked No. 3 in Division IV-AA.

Weeks slipped in a little reverse psychology after the game, telling his players they can be nice and make Estancia’s season by letting the Eagles beat them, and asking them “We don’t want to share the title with Calvary Chapel?”

On both occasions he received a chorus of “No’s” from the team.

Junior point guard Michelle Figueroa scored a game-high 19 points and senior Jennifer Courtney added four points and 16 rebounds.

Figueroa said she felt the defense building on the bus ride to the game.

“We talked about how offense is great, but defense wins,” Figueroa said. “[Weeks] was really excited. He told us ‘That’s the team he knew we were.’ ”

In the first meeting at Calvary Chapel, a 41-37 Mustangs’ loss, the Eagles burned the Mustangs with seven three-pointers. Monday, Calvary Chapel hit only one three-point shot and connected on two field goals outside the paint. Costa Mesa held the Eagles to a first-half total of eight points and led by 18.

The Mustangs’ guards extended their defense and sophomores Amy Gentling and Miriah Malapira held Calvary Chapel’s Amanda Souder to four points through the first three quarters.

Souder finished with nine, four fewer than the last time the two teams met.

When Calvary Chapel did penetrate, 6-foot junior Jasmine Werdel was there to prevent an easy layup and Courtney cleaned up any mess left on the boards.

“We kept talking about defense,” Weeks said. “Our offense can come and go but our defense can always be there. Jennifer [Courtney] did a good job on [Shuana] Ricker [eight points through three quarters before finishing with 17]. Jasmine Werdel was great on help defense.”

Costa Mesa started the game with a 10-0 run and led, 13-4, after junior Antoinette Langmos hit a three-pointer at the first-quarter buzzer.

Costa Mesa would extend the lead to 30-10 in the third before the offense went cold, going without a bucket for nine minutes. But the defense held firm.

“We know teams are going to have a lot of spurts,” Werdel said. “We had to keep our defense. Defense is what wins games.”

Weeks said after the game he has at least one more season in him.

Orange Coast League

Costa Mesa 38,

Calvary Chapel 29

Score by Quarters

Costa Mesa

13

13

4

8

— 38

Cal. Chapel

4

4

7

14

— 29

Costa Mesa -- Figueroa 19, Trinh 2, Gentling 4, Werdel 4, Langmos 4, Brannon 1, Courtney 4.

3-pt. goals -- Langmos 1.

Fouled out -- Courtney.

Calvary Chapel -- Ricker 17, Souder 8, Karkut 2, Rambo 2.

3-pt. goals -- Souder 1.