On March 3, the Mira Costa Mustangs overcame a 12-point deficit to beat the Norco Cougars in the semifinals of CIF Southern Section Division 2AA. Mira Costa will advance to the finals to face the winner of March 4s’s game between Redondo and Santa Barbara.
For the first half, the game belonged to Norco. Led by senior Danica Jackson, the Cougars overwhelmed the Mustangs with offensive rebounds and an efficient, fast-paced offense. The pass-heavy Cougars led 30-22 at the half. The Mustangs offense stuttered in the third quarter and the Norco crowd roared with every point, anticipating a win.
The Mustangs would have none of that putting on an offensive clinic in the fourth quarter with 27 points. Senior guard Keilani Ikehara’s clutch three pointers and sophomore guard Allie Navarette’s tough style of play in the key led Mira Costa to a berth in the CIF finals.
“We had a really long talk in the locker room saying how much we wanted it and how this could possibly be our last game,” said Navarette. “We didn’t want it to be our last game, so we had to come out and play hard.”
Navarette put up 21 points, with Ikehara and Haley Tojo adding 11 apiece.
– Jimmy Shaw and Connor Layden
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