PREP BASKETBALL : Sea View League Girls’ Roundup : Tustin Has Too Much Depth for Depleted Saddleback in 52-19 Victory

Tustin High School’s girls’ basketball team remained tied with University for first place in the Sea View League with a 52-19 victory Tuesday at Saddleback.

Tustin (15-10, 7-2) led, 6-4, after one period, then used its superior depth to outscore the Roadrunners, 15-4, in the second period and 15-1 in the third quarter.

Saddleback (13-11, 4-5) played without three starters--leading scorer and rebounder Melody Mayfield, Melody’s sister, Angela, and Priscilla Sarmiento--who were declared ineligible this week because of grades.

“Not having the three girls in the lineup really hurt us,” Saddleback Coach Rosalind Robbins said. “Melody was averaging 20 points and 12 rebounds per game, and Angela and Priscilla brought a lot of heart to the team. We stayed close to them in the first quarter, but their defense shut us down in the second quarter and we just fell apart.”

Said Rick Falk, Tustin coach: “They beat us by 32 (63-31) the last time we played them, and I was expecting a 70-60-type game the way both our teams played.

“When the kids saw that they were playing without the three starters, they let down a little. But we started controlling the offensive boards in the second quarter and they just couldn’t come back.

“You have to feel sorry for Rosalind losing three starters the way she did.”

DeeDee Anderson then scored six of her team-high 13 points in the second quarter as Tustin outscored Saddleback, 11-2, in the last five minutes of the period and finished the first half with a 21-8 lead.

Chacon, who scored six first-half points before missing the last five minutes of the second quarter after she picked up her third foul, finished the game with 14 points to lead Saddleback.

University 54, Newport Harbor 38--Trailing, 15-10, late in the first quarter at Newport Harbor, University ran off an 18-0 streak that ended when Newport Harbor scored a basket just before the half ended. Shelley Davis scored 17 points and had eight rebounds for University (18-6, 7-2). Stacey Giem scored 15 points for Newport Harbor (3-6 in league play). University is tied with Tustin for first place in league with one regular-season game remaining.