Boys basketball: Mesa gets first PCL win

Steve Virgen

CORONA DEL MAR - After leading the Costa Mesa High boys basketball

team to a 49-39 Pacific Coast League road victory over Newport-Mesa

District rival Corona del Mar, Mustangs senior point guard David Conte

delivered a message for the rest of the PCL Friday.

“You haven’t seen the best from this team,� said Conte, who scored 12

of his game-high 17 points in the first half. “The best is yet to come.�

Costa Mesa (12-8, 1-3 in the PCL) opened the game with a 9-0 run, as

Conte scored the first seven, including a three-pointer which prompted a

Sea King timeout.

“(Conte) played really hard,� said Mustangs Coach Bob Serven, who was

not overall pleased with the victory. “We could play better. We’re kind

of in a funk right now. We’re still trying to get second place in league.

We’re just trying to snap out of our doldrums, so to speak.�

The Sea Kings (4-17, 0-4) answered a 26-15 halftime deficit with a 9-0

run of their own in the first 2:45 of the third quarter. Junior Brett

Matsen, who scored a team-high 13 points, led the spurt hitting a

three-pointer and converting a three-point play.

However, the Mustangs held off CdM with Conte’s ability to penetrate

through the Sea Kings’ defense.

“We were in position to win,� CdM Coach Ryan Curry said. “We just

didn’t hit our shots. We have to figure out a way to hold off our bad

stretches.�

Mesa senior center Jason Millward contributed 15 points. CdM junior

Kevin Mancillas scored 10 and senior Eric Glass came off the bench to add

nine points.