ESTANCIA TOURNAMENT : Even Without Two Starters, Tustin Proves It Can Handle a Tough Test

The undefeated and, perhaps, underrated Tustin High School basketball team entered the Coast Christmas tournament with some questions to be answered. Such as, are the Tillers as good as their record indicated?

The answer appeared to be yes, at least Wednesday night.

Tustin defeated Huntington Beach, 51-48, in a first-round game at Estancia High School. But it wasn’t only the victory over a quality opponent that was impressive. The Tillers were able to beat a good team without two of their starters.

Forwards Thomas Clayton and Jason Moore did not play. Clayton was out with the flu and Moore, the Tillers’ only returning starter, is out three weeks after dislocating a knee this season.

“We were hoping to get by tonight without both of those guys,” Tustin Coach Tom McCluskey said. “This tournament is going to be a big test for us.”

The Tillers (10-0) were held to one field goal in the final 6 minutes 20 seconds but still managed to rally from a 45-42 deficit. They made seven of 10 free throws in the final 3:37.

Tustin’s defense made that stand up. The Tillers held Huntington Beach (5-5) without a field goal in the final 5:21.

It was the second scoreless streak of the game for the Oilers. Tustin held them scoreless for the first 5:44 of the second half.

So Huntington Beach went 11 minutes of a 16-minute half without a field goal.

Huntington Beach standout Mustapha Abdi was noticeably ineffective in the second half. Abdi had 10 points and 11 rebounds in the first half, but was held to three points and three rebounds in the second.

“I thought we executed very well on defense,” McCluskey said. “I thought we did a good job of taking away their inside game.”

Tustin’s Phuong Tran (16 points) made two free throws to tie the score, 46-46, with 2:48 left. Huntington Beach then self-destructed.

The Oilers turned the ball over twice and missed two free throws and a layup in the next 1:30.

David Beilstein (17 points) made a jump shot and a free throw and Tran added a free throw to give the Tillers a 50-44 lead.

Huntington Beach had two chances to tie the score in the final 10 seconds. But Dennis Callahan and James Dingus (12 points) missed three-pointers and Tustin remained undefeated.

“It’s going to be a challenge for us the next few days,” McCluskey said.

In other first-round games:

Corona del Mar 64, Laguna Hills 57--After blowing a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Sea Kings rallied for the victory. Laguna Hills, which trailed, 42-32, entering the fourth quarter, took a 53-51 lead on two free throws by Pat Nelson with 3:12 left. But the Sea Kings, led by Warren Johnson, went on a 13-4 run. Johnson scored 19 points, eight of which came in the final three minutes. John Paulsen added 17 points for Corona del Mar. Nelson scored 14 points for Laguna Hills.

Mission Viejo 59, Costa Mesa 43--Mike Boucher scored 16 points to lead the Diablos, who built a big lead early. Mission Viejo led, 17-7, at the end of the first quarter and 38-15 at halftime. Xavier Hanna scored 18 points for Costa Mesa.

Los Alamitos 70, Estancia Reserves 25--Robert Conlisk scored 17 points and Todd Chesebro 13 to lead the Griffins.