CS Fullerton Beats Buzzer to Beat Pacific

The ball, Wayne Williams said, ended up in the right person’s hands.

His own.

With nine seconds remaining in Cal State Fullerton’s Big West Conference game against Pacific Saturday, the Titan were on--at best--the verge of overtime. At worst, they were about to become the first conference team to lose to Pacific at home since January of 1987.

With the score tied, Pacific’s Dell Demps dribbled downcourt against Fullerton pressure. As he crossed half court, Cedric Ceballos and Williams converged on him and Ceballos tipped the ball. Williams picked it up, turned back toward the basket and launched a 32-footer that went in, giving Fullerton a 76-73 victory.

It also gave the sophomore, whose teammates call Buzzer-Beater, the fifth desperation three-pointer of his career.

Williams’ fame stems largely from one shot last season, a 25-footer at the buzzer in overtime that gave the Titans an upset of Nevada Las Vegas.

Now he has another one, if on a somewhat smaller scale.

Fullerton (8-5, 2-2) had led this game by 14, but almost let it get away. Pacific took a 72-71 lead with 1:18 remaining on two free throws by Demps. Anthony Woods, fouled by Williams, made the first of a one-and-one with 25 seconds left, but missed the second, leaving Pacific with only a two-point lead.

Fullerton tied it with 11 seconds remaining on a turnaround jumper by Agee Ward.

With the score tied, Pacific took a timeout, and Fullerton planned to pressure.

“We weren’t going to let them bring it up easy,” Fullerton Coach John Sneed said. “I knew if we got a steal, we wouldn’t have time for a timeout. The ball happened to go to Wayne Williams.”

For Pacific (9-6, 2-4), it was a tough way to lose.

“That’s something you don’t expect,” Coach Bob Thomason said. “It’s a shock. It was a lucky shot, but sometimes you win games on lucky shots.”

Ceballos and Mark Hill each scored 19 points for Fullerton.