Laguna Beach clinches league crown with rout at Costa Mesa

The Laguna Beach High boys’ basketball team is leaving the Orange Coast League with the top prize.

Blake Burzell scored 13 of his 23 points in the third quarter to go with his 13 rebounds, leading the Breakers to a 60-40 victory at Costa Mesa and helping them clinch at least a share of the league title on Friday.

Laguna Beach, which has won the Orange Coast League 10 times in the league’s 12-year existence, is heading to the Sunset League next season.

Right now, the Breakers (23-3, 8-0 in league), ranked No. 3 in the CIF Southern Section Division 3AA poll, are good enough to contend in the Sunset League. Laguna Beach has won 16 of its last 17 games, and coach Bret Fleming said the Breakers tied the program record for most wins in the regular season. Fleming said the overall school record for wins is 27.

Costa Mesa (12-9, 6-2) stayed with the Breakers for the majority of the first half, thanks to Osman Hefner’s 16 points and five rebounds, but the Mustangs struggled from three-point range. They made only five of 25 threes.

Laguna Beach took advantage in the second half. Grady Morgan scored 11 points and Noah Naess added 10 points to put the Breakers up by as many as 30 midway through the third quarter.

“We came out aggressive,” Burzell said. “We pounded the boards. They were small compared to us, so we [went] after the basket as much as we could and we shared the ball. I didn’t get that many baskets in the first half, but [in the] second half, I was getting easy layups thanks to my teammates. We got easy shots in the second half and that was the key to the game.”

Nico Dasca scored 10 points for Costa Mesa, while Ben Swanson had seven points with six rebounds. Tre Villalpando added seven points against a Breakers team that has outscored its league opponents 565-252. An impressive stat that also worries Fleming with the CIF Southern Section Division 3AA playoffs right around the corner.

“It’s a concern,” Fleming said of not having any tough games in league. “It’s a concern that we have to step up to another level in the first round. We could conceivably get someone like a Beckman or a Mission Viejo, or someone with a really good basketball team but isn’t currently ranked. It’s going to be a big turnaround for us and hopefully we can be ready.”

The Breakers can win the outright league title with a win at Estancia on Tuesday, or with a Costa Mesa loss at Godinez. Two games remain in league.

Costa Mesa, which is in second place in league, a game ahead of rival Estancia (16-8, 5-3), hopes it can draw a home game for the Division 4AA playoffs.

“Next week sets up two away games, [Godinez and Estancia]. It’s tough for us,” said Mike Ofer, who is in his first season in charge of Costa Mesa. “If we want to be by ourselves in second place, we are going to have to step up and play well. They’re both well coached, and obviously Estancia is [the Battle for the Bell] rivalry game.

“We just have to do our thing and get back in the groove, stay positive, have a good week at practice and come back ready to play.”

Laguna Beach’s Owen McMurray scored six points, dished out six assists and grabbed eight rebounds. Charlie Rounaghi had eight rebounds, five steals and four points.

“Obviously you can’t just put a win on the board,” Burzell said. “We are going to go out there and shoot the ball, get easy layups, pass the ball to each other, and share the ball. Charlie has done a really good job with distributing the ball and getting us easy points.”

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Laguna Beach 60, Costa Mesa 40

Laguna Beach 16 – 18 – 20 – 6 — 60

Costa Mesa 7 – 12 – 9 – 12 — 40

LB – Burzell 23, Morgan 11, Naess 10, McMurray 6, Armstrong 6, C. Rounaghi 4

3-pt. goals – Burzell 3, McMurray 1

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – McMurray

CM – Hefner 16, Dasca 10, Villalpando 7, Swanson 7

3-pt. goals – Hefner 3, Villalpando 1, Swanson 1

Fouled out – None

Technicals – None

MANNY ALVAREZ is a contributor to Times Community News. Follow him on Twitter: @MAlvarez02