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Mustangs drop opener

HESPERIA — Senior Larry Puente scored a game-high 29 points in his final game for the Costa Mesa High boys basketball team, which lost, 83-55, at Sultana in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division II-A playoffs Wednesday night.

“He’s been our team,” Costa Mesa Coach Jeff McDaniel said of Puente. “Deep in the season more teams keyed on him. For him to score with all the attention on him is real good.”

Moses Titus and Miguel Molina scored seven points each for the Mustangs, who finished the season 17-10.

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“We really didn’t have any edge to us which could have been from the three-hour drive or [lack of] experience,” McDaniel said. “We didn’t play our best game and they played real well

Josh Johnson scored 20 points to lead the Sultans (17-11).

“We were very successful,” McDaniel said about the Mustangs’ season. “Anytime you get 17 wins it’s a great year. Even though we lost today, it was a good year.”

CIF Southern Section

Division II-A First Round

Sultana 83, Costa Mesa 55

Score by Quarters

Costa Mesa 15 14 11 15 — 55

Sultana 19 18 19 27 — 83

Costa Mesa -- Puente 29, Titus 7, Molina 7, Millian 5, Weber 2, Nguyen 4, Duong 1.

3-pt. goals -- Puente 2, Nguyen 1, Millian 1, Titus 1, Molina 1.

Sultana -- Johnson 20, Gunther 13, Rojas 10, Harrison 11, Burley 9, Balsaikan 8, Walters 6, Thomas 4, Manson 2.

3-pt. goals -- Johnson 4, Harrison 2, Balsaikan 2.

Fouled out -- Manson, Harrison.

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