By Ian Rapoport
Staff Writer
Following an unprecedented season, the Mira Costa boys basketball team’s CIF run came to an end in the Semi-Finals.
The team was lost to JW North High School 80-55 on Tuesday, Feb. 26 in Riverside. This was the team’s fourth CIF match and concludes the season for the Mustangs.
“They jumped out on us early in the game and held a steady lead,” coach Jeff Amaral said.
Junior forward Justin Strings led the team in scoring with 24 points, and senior point guard Cole Feaster scored 13 points with 4 assists and 7 points while senior forward Oliver Mausner had 7 points.
“Strings and Feaster have been playing well for our team all season and maintained that efficiency throughout,” Amaral said.
Despite the long distance to Riverside, Costa staff organized to have bus set up to bring students on the long haul to support the athletes.
“It was great to see that so many people came out to support us,” Mausner said. “It really helped us having a crowd there with us.”
JW won the tip off and took the lead in the first quarter 14-8. Feaster and Strings were able to score some baskets in the second, and Mausner made two three pointers, but JW stayed strong with the lead at the half, 36-25.
“Opening tip, we just had so much adrenaline and there was so much noise in the gym, it was a great experience,” Mausner said. “We always cut it to seven or eight points but they always had an answer.”
JW maintained its current posture for the remainder of the game. Strings had two threes in the third and Feaster one in the fourth but the Mustangs could not make a significant come-back. JW led after the third 52-37, and finished the game with a final score of 80-55.
“In the third quarter we cut the lead to 12 and then they hit back to back three pointers,” Amaral said. “It was a back breaker and it really killed our momentum.”
Even though they will not be heading to finals, Mira Costa have had a very successful run in CIF. Making it to semi finals is farther than any Mustang basketball team has ever gone.
“We had a great CIF run, we made it farther than any other costa basketball team in history,” Mausner said. “Hopefully we can make a run in state also.”
The Mustangs finished the season with a record of 20-10.The team had stand-out seniors like Feaster, Mausner and guard Kevin Kim. Strings was also a top player. The team did have two unfortunate losses against its rival Redondo Union High School both home and away.
“We were all disappointed because we felt like we were the better team,” Kim said. “We just got caught up in the hype and lost focus.”
The team’s best games were against Oxnard, Temecula and Cathedral city during CIF when the team won each match handily.
“It was a fantastic season,” Amaral said. “We are very proud and we had a great time.”
Although they are finished with CIF, the Mustangs have qualified for state. The brackets will be posted on the CIF state website on Sunday, March 28.
“It is a cool accomplishment making it to state,” Amaral said.
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