Mira Costa coach mops floor and hopes team mops up Redondo

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Their hardwood gleams. Like glass.

Thank the girls’ basketball coach, Don Braunecker, who relishes a pregame ritual -- mopping the floor clean in the cozy confines of the Mira Costa gymnasium. ‘This is my peace of mind. I mop the floor,’ he said. ‘And why not? This is the place I want to be, so I want it to be clean.’

A spirtual sort of experience? ‘Absolutely, I think that,’ Braunecker said. ‘I got music playing and I’m cleaning the floor. It doesn’t get any better than this.’

Well, it may get better tonight/Thursday, when No. 7-ranked Mira Costa (19-3, 7-0) hosts No. 8 Redondo (19-2, 6-1) in a Bay League battle for first place. Look for this game to be a classic. And also look for a really clean floor.

-- Anthony Stitt

-- Image from www.wpclipart.com