Costa Mesa boys’ basketball routs crosstown rival Estancia

Costa Mesa's Parker Hylton (15) shoots from under the basket against Estancia in the Battle for the Bell on Friday.

By Andrew TurnerStaff Writer

Dec. 17, 2024 2:34 PM PT

Costa Mesa’s boys’ basketball team wasn’t exactly riding high over the past two weeks, but a crosstown rivalry game had the potential of serving as a catalyst for a turnaround.

The Mustangs seized that opportunity with a 70-40 win at Estancia in the Battle for the Bell, providing a possible launching point for Costa Mesa after enduring a six-game losing streak.

Estancia's Ryan Galvan (10) grabs a rebound against Costa Mesa's Tearon Campbell (21) on Friday.

“We marked this game last week and said, ‘We need to start winning again. We need to get this game. We win this game, it can turn our season around and get rolling,’” Costa Mesa junior forward Parker Hylton said.

Hylton had a game-high 19 points to go with two assists for Costa Mesa (3-8), which had a dominant showing on the glass. Senior center Kembe Howerton (14 points) and Hylton combined for five offensive putback buckets.

Estancia's Christopher Garibay (42) squeezes between Costa Mesa's Parker Hylton (15) and Kembe Howerton (11) on Friday.

“I think this win was important because we came together offensively and defensively,” said senior guard Garry Slone. “I think a win like this, we can build off of. … I think we reached our lowest point a couple games ago, but I think we can’t get any lower than that. We can only build up.”

Slone had 18 points and three assists. Marlee Slone added nine points and three assists, and Ternandez Calloway Jr. chipped in with eight points and three assists.

Costa Mesa's Garry Slone (1) runs to the basket for a layup against Estancia in the Battle for the Bell on Friday.

Garry Slone said his brother had an in-game dunk in the Mustangs’ previous game, against Northwood. Marlee Slone failed in his first-quarter attempt to make it two in a row, but a steal and a behind-the-back dribble leading to a fastbreak basket by Hylton was a successful bit of flair.

The Slone brothers combined for five steals that led directly to points in transition.

Costa Mesa's Kembe Howerton (11) eyes the loose ball against Estancia in the Battle for the Bell on Friday.

Costa Mesa is in its first full season under head coach Sean Comer.

“I think we just got to keep this momentum going and just really buy into the program, buy into each other and just keep playing as a team,” said Howerton, who has rung the Bell four times, twice for basketball, and once each for football and water polo.

Costa Mesa's Parker Hylton (15) rings the Bell after the Mustangs beat Estancia in the Battle for the Bell on Friday.

Jack Schroeder had 13 points, including a trio of three-pointers, to lead Estancia (4-10). Jadon Vivar added eight points. Christopher Garibay contributed six points and three assists. Lincoln Silva also connected twice from beyond the arc for his six points.

“We got to get healthy, but I’ll tell you what, our kids work hard,” Estancia coach Xavier Castellano said. “They don’t give up. They play real hard. We got to go through this. We got to go through this, and then we can learn from this sooner.”