Mustangs Make Life Miserable for Leuzinger

Leuzinger High was down by 27 points in the second quarter when one of the team’s coaches couldn’t contain her frustration. “Is basketball that difficult,” she asked her colleagues on the bench after the Olympians committed another turnover.

Mira Costa made it that tough on Tuesday night, racing to an early lead and hammering the Olympians in a 72-21 Bay League victory.

Mustangs’ Coach Craig Takahashi would have preferred a stiffer challenge, but he wasn’t complaining.

“This was actually good for us because we’ve had two hard games,” Takahashi said, referring to double-digit losses to Narbonne and rival Redondo Union last week. “I was able to give my starters a little bit of a rest and give my freshmen and sophomores a lot of playing time. Plus, we’re working on a new defense, so this was a good time to work on it.”

Takahashi said the team’s new defensive scheme is a work in progress, but try telling that to Leuzinger (5-12, 0-3). The Mustangs (11-8, 2-1) clamped down defensively to roll to a 25-3 lead after one quarter before Takahashi began playing many of his reserves.

By halftime, Mira Costa held a 34-10 lead. The Olympians never mounted a threat.

Guards Marie Lauzon and Camille Mills scored 13 apiece to lead Mira Costa, while Kylie Nakamine and MacKenzie Austin chipped in 10 each.

The win ended a two-game losing streak for the Mustangs, who dropped a 70-42 nonleague decision to Narbonne on Saturday and an emotional 48-31 league setback to Redondo Union on Friday before a packed house at Mira Costa.

Takahashi is hoping the victory over Leuzinger will jump-start the Mustangs in their bid to repeat as league champs. He believes the race for the title is wide open.

“No one is going undefeated in this league because there’s a lot of parity,” said Takahashi, whose club went 10-0 in league last season.

He said for his team to defend its title it must beat Redondo in a rematch on Feb. 1, among others. The shelling by the Sea Hawks is the one loss that really sticks in his craw.

“With the exception of the Redondo game, I’m pleased with how we’ve played so far,” he said. “The reason why I say that isn’t because we lost to them but because we didn’t come to play. The girls let the hype get to them.

“In the past few years, we’ve never played well at home against Redondo. We’ve won at home against Redondo by like four or five in the past, but gone there and beat them by like 18. A lot of it has to do with you’re expected to win at home. But when Redondo comes here it gets a bit more rowdy than usual. They want to bring their whole bus here. Even on our bench, they’re all on top of us.”

In addition to battling the Sea Hawks for the title, Takahashi believes Palos Verdes and Peninsula will challenge for the title.

“There are no gimmes this year. Any team has a chance to win league,” he said.

The Mustangs visit Peninsula on Friday. Tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m.