Pacific Shores Tournament Field Reduced to Four : Prep basketball: Mira Costa is too much for Carson, 60-44. The Mustangs will play top-seeded Lakewood, an 80-69 winner over San Pedro, in a semifinal tonight.

Using tactics often employed by its opponent, Mira Costa High defeated Carson, 60-44, Wednesday night in the quarterfinals of the 40th annual Pacific Shores boys’ basketball tournament.

Bolstered by a partisan crowd of 250 at Mira Costa, the Mustangs combined accurate long-range shooting, a fast-break offense and pressure defense for the victory.

Mira Costa (2-0) will play Lakewood at 6 tonight in a semifinal game at Redondo. Carson (3-1) plays San Pedro at 7:30 tonight in the loser’s bracket at Mira Costa.

“I think it took a lot of nerve to come out against a top-notch City team known for its running style and run on them,” Mustang Coach Glenn Marx said. “We didn’t shoot the ball as well as we’re capable, so it was not a great offensive game. But we did run the break well.”

Mira Costa, which made six three-point shots, had four players score in double figures. Sophomore guard Shane Willis led with 14 points, forward Chris Whitworth had 12, Marc Pioch added 11 and Tyrone Burks had 10.

Forward Rudy Washington led Carson with 14 points and guard William Thomas added 13. Although held to six points, Carson’s 6-foot-11 center Khary Stanley grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

Mira Costa never trailed and increased a five-point first-quarter lead to 30-19 at halftime.

In the second half, the Colts were forced into a catch-up game, a style they are not accustomed to playing.

“In the first half, Mira Costa came out and put it to us,” Carson Coach Rich Masson said. “They were more aggressive and played with more intensity; diving for loose balls and getting the turnovers.

“Plus, we couldn’t do anything inside, and by the time we got that going, we were already taken out of our game by having to come from behind.”

The Mustangs used a pesky defense that forced 11 Carson turnovers, resulting in several layups in the first half, when they made 13 of 27 shots from the field.

Carson had trouble at the free-throw line in the first half, making only five of 13 attempts.

Lakewood 80, San Pedro 69--Top-seeded Lakewood used a 19-8 run in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.

San Pedro trailed by 12 with 2 minutes 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter, but used a 16-5 run to close within 56-55 at the end of the quarter.

But Lakewood opened the quarter with its run and made 11 of 15 free throws down the stretch.

Guard Raymond Tutt led San Pedro (1-2) with 22 points, center Aaron Zersen contributed 17 and Galen Wright added 10 points.

Taymar Ross led Lakewood with 22 points.