From the frying pan to the fire

Joseph Boo

ANAHEIM - Surprising Costa Mesa high’s boys basketball team was in

for a real test as it took its 10-3 record into Tuesday’s second round

game of the Canyon Classic against mighty Crescenta Valley.

The Mustangs withstood a Crescenta Valley barrage for the first three

quarters, but a 24-9 fourth quarter ultimately did them in, 73-54. They

will now face Buena Park today, at 12 p.m.

“We were right there,” Costa Mesa coach Bob Serven said. “We just missed

our shots.”

Costa Mesa (10-4) led at halftime, 34-33, even though the Falcons threw

everything possible at the Mustangs.Specifically, they threw Chris Tarne

at Costa Mesa, who shot 5 for 5 from three-point range in the first half

and scored 18 points.

But Costa Mesa’s Ryan Naff and Nate Jones drove the Falcons crazy. Naff

hit 4-of-5 three pointers and had 14 points at halftime. Jones got 12

points and nine rebounds in the first half.

The Falcons (11-3), who had three players taller than Costa Mesa center

Mike Payne, could not take advantage of its size in the first half. This

despite the Mustangs playing without center Shaun Ferryman, serving a

one-game suspension for a flagrant foul on Monday. Payne played almost

the entire game in the middle, not leaving the floor until the fourth

quarter.

Crescenta Valley’s star center James Jenkins was benched in the first

half for his lackadaisical play. Tarne almost single-handedly picked up

the slack for the Falcons with four threes in the second quarter, but

Naff matched him with four of his own.

Crescent Valley took the lead for good at the start of the third with six

consecutive points. On the other side, Costa Mesa shot 21 % in the second

half, yet was only down 49-45 after three quarters. But Jenkins finally

awoke and took control, scoring 15 of his 18 points in the second half as

the Falcons won by a big margin.

“They’re probably the best team in the tournament,” Serven said of his

opponent.

Even though Ferryman didn’t play, and Jenkins was dominant in the second

half, Serven did not think the size differential between the teams

mattered.

“They just made their baskets,” he said. “We didn’t. We battled, though.”

Naff ended up with 20 points, and Jones had 17 points and 14 rebounds.

Steve Whittaker scored nine points on three three-pointers for the

Mustangs.

CANYON CLASSIC

Quarterfinal

Crescenta Valley 73, Costa Mesa 54

Crescenta Valley 12 21 16 24 - 73 Costa Mesa 12 22 11 9 - 54

Crescenta Valley - Tarne 23, Jenkins 18, McCauley 12, Goffredo 8, Myers

6, Adkins 0, Kang 4, Aldridge 2.

3-pt. goals - Tarne 6, McCauley 2, Goffredo 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.

Costa Mesa - Naff 20, Jones 17, Whittaker 9, Hatsushi 4, Payne 4, Weir 0,

Conte 0, Krikorian 0.

3-pt. goals - Naff 5, Whittaker 3.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.