Costa Mesa girls' basketball tops Orange in Orange Coast League opener

Costa Mesa's Tarah Harmon (10) drives around Orange's Itxamar Gonzalez for a basket in an Orange Coast League game at home on Tuesday.

By Andrew TurnerStaff Writer

Jan. 7, 2020 10:44 PM PT

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The Costa Mesa High girls’ basketball program has undergone plenty of change since making it to the CIF Southern Section Division 5AA quarterfinals last season.

Several key starters graduated, including Daily Pilot Dream Team selection Katie Belmontes, who was an All-CIF honoree a season ago. The Mustangs also had a coaching change after Samantha Doucette was hired as the women’s basketball coach at Orange Coast College.

Nevertheless, the goals have not changed for the program.

Mustangs coach Jason Barfield would not back down from the goal of wanting to win a league championship, in spite of the team’s struggles in nonleague play. He said before the Orange Coast League opener that the goal should be to build off last season, which saw Costa Mesa share the league crown with Santa Ana.

Step one of that process was a success on Tuesday night.

Junior small forward Tarah Harmon scored a game-high 15 points to go with seven rebounds and three steals, and Costa Mesa defeated Orange 37-28 at home.

“Last year’s team, I got a lot of help and motivation from our seniors like Katie, Samantha [Filner], McKayla [Ortiz], everybody,” Harmon said. “Now that I’m an upperclassman, I need to be a bigger leader and push through out there.”

Barfield added that he felt his team’s energy was at an all-time high entering Tuesday. He said it came from a combination of moving into the most meaningful part of the season and opening that stretch at home.

Costa Mesa (3-7) snapped a four-game losing streak.

“Coming off of that losing streak, we felt like we had a monkey on our back,” Barfield said. “Our only other game at home was a win, so they feel a need to make sure that they don’t lose at home. The more games at home that we have, the better the advantage is for us.”

Costa Mesa's Mary Anna Bijanjan (1) steals the ball from Orange's Sierra Bonner, who falls on the court, as Roselynn Ethany Madriaga (33) and Lorelei Hobbis (12) join the fastbreak in an Orange Coast League game on Tuesday.

No one displayed more energy on the court than 4-foot-9 point guard Mary Anna Bijanjan. The shortest player on the court played a big role for the Mustangs, providing 12 points, six steals, two assists and two rebounds.

Bijanjan showed a willingness to dive on the floor on defense and drive into the crowded key on offense. She said she does not shy away from the moment in her other sports, as well.

“It’s what I do, on the court and off the court,” Bijanjan said. “I do other sports, too, like soccer and softball. That’s how I play.”

Barfield, who played basketball and wrestled at Littlerock in high school, appreciates the effort he has seen from his starting point guard, who is only a sophomore.

“We talked,” Barfield said. “She said that she can handle it. She knows what her priorities are. At the end of the day, that is only going to make her a better athlete, so I support her 100 percent on that.”

Shooting guard Amy Martinez and center Lorelei Hobbis share a birthday, and their teammates serenaded them with the “Happy Birthday” song after the game.

Hobbis, who celebrated her 16th birthday, pulled down 14 rebounds and blocked two shots. She recently set the school mark for rebounds in a single game, totaling 28 rebounds in 40-39 win over Bolsa Grande on Dec. 2.

“That’s awesome because that is part of the school history now,” Hobbis said of holding the school record. “I got to keep the game ball, so it’s mine now.”

Martinez, who turned 18 on Tuesday, had five points and four assists.

Costa Mesa led Orange 18-17 at halftime, but the Mustangs outscored the Panthers 9-2 in the third quarter.

Lea Rangel had 12 points, nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals to lead the Panthers (4-10).