By Shaylyn Austin
Editor-in-Chief
Gaining its second back-to-back tournament title of its undefeated season, the Mira Costa boys basketball team has proven a formidable competitor in the South Bay.
Defensive intensity was the deciding factor in the Mustangs’ 65-46 win over Crossroads High School on Friday, as the Mustangs claimed first place in the El Segundo Tournament.
“We definitely wanted to come out and make a statement and keep our undefeated record,” senior forward Justin Strings said. “I feel like we did that.”
Junior point guard Dylan Kim’s finish through traffic in the first possession set the tone for the rest of the game, keeping the Mustangs in control. At the end of the first quarter, Costa led Crossroads by 15 points.
“What gave us the edge over Crossroads was our defense and our physicality,” Kim said. “When we pressured their players, they were becoming rushed, which threw them off their game. Our game plan of defense as our priority worked.”
Three three-point shots from Strings extended the Mustangs’ lead in the beginning of the second quarter. Senior guard Ryan Kawahara also converted two lay-ups off of steals.
“We kept the pressure up and took advantage of all of their turnovers,” Kawahara said. “We really had to push ourselves in order to come out on top.”
Costa had a significant size advantage over Crossroads, as Strings seemed to tower over the opposing Crossroads sophomore forward Charlie Hall. Strings and senior forward Jake Feder controlled the boards, securing six rebounds each.
Costa did not seem phased when a mix-up during substitutions left them with only four players on the court. The four Mustangs were able to prevent the Roadrunners from scoring while they converted two baskets, including a three-point play by junior center Gavin Reagan.
“The momentum was so heavy throughout the game; it was kind of exciting to see our team go four on five,” Kim said.
Crossroads’ extended trap-oriented defense forced several Mustang turnovers, and the Roadrunners scored seven unanswered points to start the second half. But Costa’s 47-16 lead going into the half proved too great of a deficit for the Roadrunners to overcome.
“We definitely tried to adjust and pick up our defense because we were kind of going into the second half with the mind set that we had this,” Kawahara said. “We realized that the game’s not over, and we had to continue to play.”
Feder’s strong performance in the offensive paint helped the Mustangs maintain their significant lead, scoring seven of Costa’s nine points in the third quarter.
“They came back a lot better than they did in the first half,” Strings said. “When our second unit went in, they kept the lead and did a pretty good job.”
As the Mustang reserves took the court in the fourth quarter, Crossroads was able to cut the deficit to 15 points, but four last-minute free throws from junior guard Ryan Ramey secured the Mustangs’ win.
Strings, MVP of the tournament, led the team with 16 points in the decisive victory that improved the team’s record to 8-0 overall. Feder contributed 14 points of his own in the victory.
“We definitely want to stay undefeated as long as we can,” Strings said. “If we keep up our intensity, we can do that.”
The Mustangs’ next pre-Bay League match-up is at home tonight against Paramount High School at 7:30 p.m.
“The boys executed the way we practiced and kept each other pumped-up on the court, which always helps get the big win,” coach Jeff Amaral said.
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