Boys basketball: Mesa holds on against Orange

Richard Dunn

COSTA MESA - Neither coach was particularly pleased with the

performance of their team Thursday night and both walked away shaking

their head as if their players had overindulged during the holiday and

lost some bounce in their step.

“We looked like a 5-10 team, instead of a 10-5 team,� said Costa Mesa

High boys basketball coach Bob Serven, whose team improved to 11-5 with a

60-53 nonleague home victory over Orange (13-3).

Orange rallied from two 13-point deficits to tie the game in the

fourth quarter, 49-49, as 6-foot-4 junior forward Quenton Parker scored

24 of his game-high 26 points in the second half, while making 12 of 15

from the floor, mostly on short jumpers in the key.

“I know their coach (Andre Smith) is not happy with the way his team

played, but Quenton Parker is definitely a man,� Serven said.

Parker, however, fouled out with 1:02 left in the game and his team

trailing, 56-53.

“He’s the only one scoring and he fouls out of the game. That takes

away a lot of momentum,� said Smith, whose squad outscored Costa Mesa in

the third quarter, 18-11, to cut a 29-16 halftime deficit to six points.

Parker scored 14 of Orange’s points in the third, hitting 7 of 9 from

the field.

The Panthers continued to climb back in the fourth quarter, twice

pulling within one point, before tying it, 49-49, on Parker’s 10-foot

jumper with 2:49 remaining on the clock.

Mesa senior Chad Vakili drained his second of 11 three-point attempts

with 2:40 to go in the contest to push the hosts ahead for good, 52-49.

After Orange scored to pull within one point again, Vakili scored on a

layup. Then, after Mesa senior David Conte was awarded a rebound and

timeout after fighting on the floor for a ball, Conte hit two free throws

with 1:43 left to give the Mustangs a 56-51 edge.

Orange scored again, but the Mustangs made 4 of 6 at the foul line in

the final minute to close out the Panthers.

Vakili led Costa Mesa with 19 points (he was 5 of 9 on two-point

shots), five rebounds and two first-quarter steals, while Conte finished

with 18 points, five assists (four in the second half), four rebounds and

two steals.

Costa Mesa senior center Jason Millward chipped in with 11 points, a

game-high nine rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot. Senior forward

Carlos Jaime had six boards for the Mustangs, who open defense of their

Pacific Coast League title Wednesday at University.

“This was an ugly game,� said Serven, whose team shot 39% from the

field (24 of 61), including 36% in the first half (12 of 33).

Orange was 1 of 10 from the field in the second quarter and committed

seven turnovers in the period, allowing the Mustangs to build advantages

of 21-8 and 29-16.

“Costa Mesa’s just a better team,� Smith said. “(It) just wanted it

more.�

Vakili and Millward scored on back-to-back plays to cap the first

quarter and give Mesa a 13-8 edge by period’s end, then to start the

second quarter, Vakili hit a three-pointer and scored again on a 12-foot

jump shot. Conte converted a three-point play with 6:31 on the clock to

give Mesa its 21-8 lead.

NONLEAGUE

Costa Mesa 60, Orange 53

Score by Quarters

Orange 8 8 18 19 - 53

Costa Mesa 13 16 11 20 - 60 Orange - Smith 10, Polk 2, Collins 6, Parker 26, Reeves 3, Vega 2,

Sandoval 2, Palomares 2.

3-pt. goals - Smith 1.

Fouled out - Parker.

Technicals - none.

Costa Mesa - Conte 18, Krikorian 6, Millward 11, Jaime 4, Vakili 19,

Clark 2, Ball 0, Stroman 0, Rodriguez 0.

3-pt. goals - Conte 2, Vakili 2, Krikorian 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.