Mesa keeps winning
What a difference a year makes.
A new season, a new coach, and a fresh set of key contributors for Costa Mesa’s girls’ basketball team.
It may have taken Mustangs coach Carlos Juarez some time to figure out how all the pieces were going to fit together, but the team is rolling now.
Malia Tufuga and Katie Belmontes scored 19 points each, and the youthful Mustangs pushed their winning streak to four games with a 58-34 victory over Laguna Beach in an Orange Coast League game at Costa Mesa High.
Tufuga, a freshman power forward who can stretch the floor, made a trio of three-pointers in leading the Mustangs (7-11, 3-0) to a 21-9 lead after the first quarter. She also had a game-high 12 rebounds.
Belmontes isn’t much older. The sophomore center had 17 points before halftime, adding seven rebounds and four steals.
Combined with the work of McKayla Ortiz (10 points, five rebounds), the three post players dominated the offensive boards. They often took advantage of their second-chance opportunities to stretch the lead early.
“In preseason, we identified a few areas that were really defining who we were on the court,” Juarez said. “We worked on them during the break.”
“We’ve really been a different team. We’ve got size, which is kind of our strength, and we work towards it. They’ve been doing a great job.”
Costa Mesa led, 36-11, at halftime.
The Mustangs’ recent run is cause for celebration. Perhaps the school can sense it as a whole. A healthy crowd showed up, many donning a green t-shirt with the phrase, “Fans in the Stands.”
“We have really emphasized making it fun and playing an exciting style,” Juarez added. “We know that we’ve got to put a good product out on the floor to get the fans out.”
“We’re really encouraging them, and they’ve responded. We’re getting a lot of support, and the girls deserve it.”
In winning their first three games in Orange Coast League play, Costa Mesa has matched its best start in league since the 2010-2011 season.
That has set up a pivotal matchup at Godinez (10-5, 2-0 entering Tuesday) on Thursday night, as the teams will battle for control of first place in the Orange Coast League.
“We have that want and desire because we’ve been working so hard,” Belmontes said. “We’ve been here all preseason, all summer. We’ve been doing this for each other.”
“When we started, this was our goal. We really want it. We’ve got to work our tails off and give it our all for that Godinez game.”
The perfect start to league has Tufuga excited for the Godinez matchup, especially with the team chemistry that has been generated by the streak.
“(It’s) just having the momentum and the enthusiasm of having a 3-0 record,” Tufuga said of what is most thrilling about the upcoming contest. “It hasn’t happened in a long time. Having that jive and having that energy.”
Kiarra Garcia had four points, six steals, four rebounds, and four assists, and Samantha Filner added four points, five assists, and three rebounds in well-rounded efforts for the Mustangs.
Nicole Davidson paced the Breakers (4-15, 0-3) with 15 points on four 3-pointers. The Laguna Beach point guard became the school’s all-time leader in assists earlier this year.
Laura Nolan scored 11 points, and Rachel Kenney had eight points to complete the scoring for the Breakers.
Orange Coast League
Costa Mesa 58, Laguna Beach 34
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Laguna Beach – 9 - 2 - 10 - 13 – 34
Costa Mesa – 21 - 15 - 16 - 6 – 58
LB – Davidson 15, Nolan 11, Kenney 8.
3-pt. goals – Davidson 4, Nolan 2.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
CM – Tufuga 19, Belmontes 19, Ortiz 10, Garcia 4, Filner 4, James 2.
3-pt. goals – Tufuga 3, Garcia 1.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None
.
