Mustangs double up vs. CdM

CORONA DEL MAR — Back-to-back games is not a concern for Jim Weeks. It’s the time of year when four games in four days is common and his Costa Mesa High girls’ basketball team has a deep bench.

In their second game of two games in two days, the Mustangs held Corona del Mar at bay, winning the nonleague road matchup, 55-49, Friday.

Costa Mesa enters the Orange Coast League season Friday against Laguna Beach with a 7-8 record, while Corona del Mar (7-12) starts up Pacific Coast League play Wednesday against Beckman.

Junior Michelle Figueroa with 12 points led balanced scoring from Costa Mesa, a day after the team beat Ocean View, 35-31.

Seven players scored for the Mustangs, with sophomore Amy Gentling and senior Jennifer Courtney each collecting 10 points. When Costa Mesa did miss, Courtney was usually in the vicinity, grabbing eight offensive rebounds to give her 12 boards for the game.

“I knew these two games would be important,” Weeks said. “These are two very good teams we’ve played. We’ve played four games in four days in a tournament earlier in the season. Yesterday nobody played more than three quarters of the game and with the bench we have we can handle it.”

The Mustangs led for the entirety. When the Sea Kings implemented a full-court press in the second half, Costa Mesa withstood the surge and never allowed Corona del Mar to come closer than three points.

Gentling said the Mustangs regularly practice against the full-court press.

“We’ve done our press break all year so we’ve gotten good at it,” the 5-foot-4 guard said.

Even with two wins in two days, everything wasn’t rosy for the Mustangs. Weeks reminded the team that practice Monday would be at 2 p.m., signifying the return of school and the Mustangs let out a collective sigh. They had gotten used to 8 a.m. practices over the winter break.

“We liked having the rest of the day to do stuff,” Gentling said.

While Sea Kings Coach Mark Decker was not content with outcome, he was pleased with his team’s progress.

“We’re improving,” Decker said. “But we’re not exactly where we want to be.”

Junior Ashley Kirby led Corona del Mar with 17 points and senior guard Allie Duernberger scored 15, including eight of the Sea Kings’ 12 points in the fourth quarter. Duernberger made four of five free throws in the fourth period.

“I told them we can do it,” Duernberger said. “I just try to take it to the basket more and try to get the foul. We just didn’t make enough shots. We should do well in league if we play together as a team.”

Decker said the Mustangs, Courtney especially, gave the Sea Kings trouble in rebounding, as well as with the three-point shot. Costa Mesa hit five three-pointers.

“They’re a solid team,” Decker said. “After we got one, they seemed to come back and make a big shot. We wanted to take away their rebounding and their threes. They were too much.”

Nonleague

Costa Mesa 55,

Corona del Mar 49

Score by Quarters

Costa Mesa

15

13

12

15

— 55

CdM

10

10

17

12

— 49

Costa Mesa -- Figueroa 12, Gentling 10, Courtney 10, Trinh 7, Werdel 7, Langmos 6, Brannon 3.

3-pt. goals -- Langmos 2, Gentling 2, Trinh 1.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.

Corona del Mar -- Kirby 17, Duernberger 15, Johnson 9, Moheimani 6, Kipp 2.

3-pt. goals -- Duernberger 1.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.