SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : 3-A GIRLS : Costa Mesa Finds Form, Upsets South Hills, 61-55

For the fourth consecutive playoff game, Costa Mesa High School led at halftime only to come out soft in the third quarter and fall behind.

But once again, the Mustangs reestablished their intensity by the fourth quarter, this time upsetting second-seeded South Hills, 61-55, in the semifinals of the Southern Section 3-A girls’ basketball playoffs Saturday night at Estancia High School.

Unseeded Costa Mesa (16-11) meets top-seeded Rancho Alamitos in the final at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday at Cal Poly Pomona.

The Mustangs’ standout underclassmen--freshman Olivia DiCamilli and junior Rachel Ward--combined for 45 points.

Using jump shots from between 10 feet to 15 feet, power layups and 5-foot turnaround jumpers, DiCamilli connected on 10 of 20 shots and eight of 11 free throws for 28 points. Ward went strictly for the rainbow set shot, connecting on six of 18 for 17 points.

The two scored all 18 of Costa Mesa’s points in first quarter. The Mustangs led, 18-12, on the strength of their full-court press and man-to-man defense.

Costa Mesa led by as many as 10 points, 24-14, early in the second quarter and had a 36-29 lead at the half. South Hills (19-6) made nine turnovers in the first half.

“They played good pressure defense,” South Hills Coach Paul Reed said. “I thought we would handle their pressure a little better.”

In the third quarter, the Huskies not only handled Costa Mesa’s pressure, they applied their own. Costa Mesa turned the ball over on six consecutive possessions as the Huskies went on an 8-0 run to take a 37-36 lead with about five minutes to play in the quarter.

Kelley Figueroa scored 10 of her 19 points in the quarter.

But with about three minutes to play, the momentum shifted when Costa Mesa Coach Jim Weeks put 4-9 guard Vicki Diaz into the game with the Mustangs trailing, 40-42.

“I put her in for her intensity, her defense, her quickness,” Weeks said. “She gives us great speed, great fire. She’s only 4-9, and a lot of times she doesn’t match up well, but against this team she did.”

With Diaz helping against the press, the Mustangs settled down, forcing South Hills into six turnovers before the quarter’s end.

Diaz’s shot from the top of the key with 30 seconds remaining put Costa Mesa ahead, 46-42, and Ward added two free throws as the Mustangs took a 48-42 lead and pulled away.