Mustangs Aim For Quick Start

For the Mira Costa girls basketball team, they have lived up to their motto: “we own the fourth quarter,” having outscored opponents in the final quarter in all but three games this season.

“The girls labeled the fourth quarter this year as theirs and they have used it as motivation.  So far have been pretty good at it,” coach Craig Takahashi said.

Thursday night, the Mustangs (18-9) play host to Long Beach Jordan (16-9) of the Moore League in the first round of the CIF playoffs, and while Takahashi loves his teams end-of-game results, the key to the game might lie at the beginning instead.

“In the early quarters, we have been too nervous and playing tight,” Takahashi said.

Senior forward Jenna Stephanoff believes a quick start is important for the team’s playoff fate, “I think it’s pretty important that we come out strong, it will give us more confidence that we can control the game and continue in front.”

Fellow senior, point guard Kylie Nakamine echoed her teammates thoughts: “It really sets the tone for the rest of the game.  You can get momentum and that makes everything easier, playing catch up is a lot more work and more tiring.”

Takahashi has taken a different approach this week, concentrating more on some light scrimmaging and low intensity drills in order to keep his group loose.

Mira Costa’s last meeting with Jordan was early last season, losing 44-41 in the Inglewood Holiday Classic.

“We watched last years tape and I really think we can compete with them.  We need to rebound well and limit our turnovers,” Nakamine said.

Stephanoff who is averaging five points and six rebounds per game is less worried about adjusting to Jordan, but rather concentrating on the Mustangs play.

“I want everyone to play like it’s our last game.  For some of us [seniors] every game from here could be our last and we want to give it that final full effort and just have fun.”

The Mustangs have the luxury of knowing that they can turn to one of the nations elite clutch players in Nakamine (15 points, 5 steals per game) who not only has almost exclusively handled the ball in late game situations, but been virtually automatic at the free-throw line shooting a sterling 93% on the season.

“I have been saying all season, she makes my job easy.  Once she gets the ball she is able to hold on and when she gets to the line you are already playing out your options for the following play, not praying she’ll make the shots,” Takahashi said.

“In late game situations, I have a lot of confidence.  I expect the ball and know that I can hit free throws in crunch time,” Nakamine said.

The somewhat undersized Mustangs will need a good performance from senior post Joelle Herron’s 11 points and 7 rebounds in the post if they hope to continue their strong finish to the season as winners of eight of their last nine games.

The Mustangs know that they have a difficult road ahead, as the program has been bumped up from Division 2A four years ago to 1AA, the top division in CIF.

Mira Costa finds itself in the same section of the bracket with the number one ranked team in the nation, Brea Olinda (23-0) who would be the Mustangs reward if they can pull out a victory Thursday.