Marshall Rallies Saddleback, 65-61

Left for dead midway through the first quarter--when it trailed 11-1--and seemingly just hanging on throughout the game, the Saddleback High School boys’ basketball team somehow found a way to beat Lakewood, 65-61, in overtime in the semifinals of the Southern Section 5-AA playoffs before an overflow crowd of 3,200 Friday at Rancho Santiago College.

A good portion of that somehow was 6-foot-1 guard Craig Marshall, who scored 21 points, many on attempts that ranged from far-fetched to simply far.

“This game was Craig Marshall’s,” said Malru Dottin, Saddleback’s center. “He sparked all of us. They were dropping three guys in on me and I just threw the ball out to him and let him do the job, and he did.”

It was a spinning, reverse, two-handed layup by Marshall that drew Saddleback (27-1) to within 52-50 with 2:32 left in regulation. Marshall was fouled on the play by Lakewood forward Brian Camper, who came into the game averaging 21 points a game. Camper, who had 11 points Friday, fouled out on the play. Marshall missed the free throw but rebounded the shot and got the ball to Dottin, whose five-foot jumper went in and came out.

Lakewood (23-7), which had a 30-23 lead at halftime and a 38-29 lead midway through the third quarter, then scored to go up 54-50 with 1:28 left. But Saddleback’s Jimmy Galbert drove for a basket with 1:14 left, and Dottin made a leaning eight-footer from the left side of the key that tied the score at 54-54, which is how it remained in regulation.

In overtime, Galbert drove for a basket and was fouled. His free throw gave Saddleback a 57-54 lead with 2:48 left. After a Lakewood basket, Marshall made a short jump shot to put his team up, 59-56.

Lakewood guard Tom Sellers made a three-pointer to draw Lakewood to within two at 61-59 with 1:23 left. Saddleback spread its offense, and Marshall darted in for a drive and basket with 47 seconds left. The teams traded baskets and Saddleback had earned its first berth in a Southern Section basketball final.

“This whole thing is like a movie,” said Pat Quinn, Saddleback coach. “We’re behind, behind, behind the whole game, but these kids stuck at them. They wouldn’t quit.”

Marshall made three three-pointers in the first quarter, and Saddleback made seven three-pointers in the game. Marshall’s leaning 25-footer at the buzzer, capped a six-point Saddleback surge that left it trailing, 16-13, at the end of the quarter.

“We just weren’t ready to play in the first quarter,” Dottin said.

In the second half, it was Lakewood that seemed less than willing to play. The Lancers used a spread offense for much of the half.

“We’ve played good defense all year and they seemed to get a little tentative as the game went on,” Quinn said. “Then the breaks started going our way.”