PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Manning’s Steals Keep Trabuco Hills on Top

Tim Manning earned a reputation as a dangerous defensive player on the Trabuco Hills High School football team by intercepting an Orange County-record 24 passes in three seasons.

Manning was at it again on Friday night, but this time he was creating all kinds of defensive havoc on the basketball court.

Manning had five steals--including three during two second-half runs--as the Mustangs defeated Woodbridge, 85-77, at Trabuco Hills.

Beau Hossler scored a game-high 29 points and Manning added 26 as the Mustangs (14-8 overall, 8-0 in league play) tightened their grip on the Pacific Coast League lead with two games to play. They can clinch their second consecutive league title Wednesday night with a victory over second-place Laguna Beach (18-4, 7-1).

Trabuco Hills was clinging to an 80-77 lead with 1 minute 40 seconds left when Manning and James Welch forced consecutive turnovers. Hossler and Randy Kriech each scored off the turnovers to push the lead to 84-77.

“I was happy with our defense,” Trabuco Hills Coach Rainer Wulf said. “We made an adjustment at halftime in our press. And when you have the career (county) interception leader in the stealing spot, it makes a big difference.”

Woodbridge Coach Bill Shannon said the late turnovers gave Trabuco Hills control of the game. Woodbridge committed 22 turnovers to Trabuco Hills’ 13.

“When it goes from two points to (seven) with a minute left,” Shannon said, “you have a real hill to climb.”

Wulf said the Mustangs’ defense kept them close. They trailed, 48-43, with 5:14 left in the third quarter, but two steals and a three-pointer by Manning and baskets from Hossler and Welch gave Trabuco Hills the lead for good, 50-49, with 4:30 left.

“I told the players that if we played solid defense, we would be in the game even if we didn’t shoot well,” Wulf said.

The Mustangs made only 13 of 31 shots in the first half and trailed, 40-37, at halftime. They made 18 of 25 shots in the second half.

“You’ve got to like it,” Wulf said.

Woodbridge played without leading scorer Bryant McLemore, who missed the team bus and arrived five minutes into the game. He never got off the bench.

“I guess you could say he was ‘unavailable’ ” Shannon said. “The way Bryant has been practicing, and the way he shot Wednesday night against Costa Mesa (eight of 10), it was a factor that he wasn’t there. He would have given us another guy inside.”

The Warriors had plenty of help inside. Mike Manthei scored 18 points and Romalis Taylor added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Warriors (13-10, 5-3).

Laguna Hills 57, Costa Mesa 51--Al Salbana had 25 points and Todd Peterson had 12 to lead visiting Laguna Hills (8-12, 2-6). Costa Mesa (14-9, 5-3) was led by Bret Dieball’s 16 points.

Laguna Beach 63, Orange 46--Center Dain Blanton scored 16 points and teammate John Trevino added 13 points for Laguna Beach.