Mustangs play underdog role in title game

For the Costa Mesa High girls’ basketball team, which survived a one-point semifinal win, getting to the CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA championship game was half the battle.

The other half begins the moment the Mustangs step onto the Walter Pyramid floor today at 4:45 p.m. in Long Beach.

Costa Mesa (20-10), trying to win its third section title and first since 1993, knows that No. 1-seeded St. Mary’s Academy (28-5) of Inglewood will be a challenge.

“They’re very athletic,” said Mustangs Coach Jim Weeks, whose team has qualified for the Division III state playoffs. “They have a 6-foot-2 freshman center, and a couple of 5-11 girls. They’re tall, and they press. If we keep the ball, make good plays and get good shots all the time, then we have a chance.

“Really, the key is, can we be fundamentally sound enough to overcome the athleticism they have? They’re favored, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do it.”

St. Mary’s Coach Bo Corona said he doesn’t know much about third-seeded Mesa, which has won 12 straight, but his Belles have been on a mission this year after losing to Marlborough last year in the section semifinals.

Corona, in his fifth year with St. Mary’s after 14 with Westchester High, has been to at least the quarterfinals every season with the Belles.

“This senior class is really fired up,” he said. “They’ve knocked at the door a few times.”

He said his team, which is led in scoring by junior guard Shontwa Redmond at 14 points per game, is balanced offensively, much like Costa Mesa’s.

Redmond had 11 points and eight steals in the Belles’ 59-34 Division IV-AA semifinal win over Calvary Chapel, which finished second in the Orange Coast League to Costa Mesa, on Feb. 24.

“We don’t have that one dominant force who has to be successful for us,” Corona said. “We’re a very balanced team.”

Aforementioned St. Mary’s freshman center Angel Smith will likely match up against Costa Mesa center Jasmine Werdel and senior forwards Jennifer Courtney and Nikki Brannon.

Courtney leads Mesa with 11.6 rebounds per game, nearly half of those on the offensive end. Like St. Mary’s, the Mustangs also have a junior guard — Michelle Figueroa — as their leading scorer, at 10 points per game.

But Weeks has a deep squad, mentioning backup center Ana Gutierrez as an example.

The senior came in late in the Mustangs’ 51-50 semifinal win over Lake Arrowhead Christian, after Courtney, Werdel and Brannon had all fouled out. Arrowhead Christian center Jessilyn Conicelli had scored 22 points, but Gutierrez held her scoreless for the rest of the game, helping Costa Mesa take the road win.

“It makes me feel really good that you take a bunch of girls and a lot of them get to contribute,” Weeks said. “We don’t say, ‘Let’s get the ball to this girl and she’s going to carry us.’ We’re saying, ‘Girls be ready, because I might be calling on you.’”

Whatever happens in today’s game, Weeks said he is extremely proud of his team.

“It’s all extra now,” he said. “There could be nothing negative about what happens for the rest of this year. I’m hoping we win, but no matter what, we gave it our best shot.”

Courtney felt the same way.

“I’ll let the game speak for itself,” she said. “Of course, there has to be a loser and winner, but either way, we’re both champions because we made it to the championship game. That’s how I see it. People talk either way, but just let the game speak for itself.”