PREP BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Tustin Beats Capistrano Valley on Late Jump Shot

It was billed as an early showdown in the second week of the basketball season when second-ranked Tustin High School met fifth-ranked Capistrano Valley Friday night in the semifinals of the Trabuco Hills Tournament.

Although it’s early in the season, the big game lived up to its billing when Tustin reserve guard Robert Laubach hit a baseline jump shot with 1:04 remaining to give the Tillers a 61-60 victory.

Tustin (3-0) survived three Capistrano Valley shots in the final minute, including a three-point attempt by Cougar guard Tom Airey with two seconds left, to move into the championship game at 8 tonight against Marina.

Marina (3-1) advanced with a 60-57 victory over J.W. North of Riverside behind the play of All-American center Cherokee Parks. Parks had 14 points, 16 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Laubach had replaced the Tillers’ top player, David Beilstein, with three minutes remaining when Beilstein fouled out after scoring 18 points. Laubach’s shot erased Capistrano Valley’s 60-59 lead taken when Airey hit a three-point shot with 1:35 remaining.

But the game was decided early in the fourth quarter when Capistrano Valley assistant Steve Scoggins was called for a technical foul after protesting a charging foul against Cougar center Brett McCorkle.

McCorkle apparently had scored on the play, but the basket was disallowed and the subsequent technical resulted in a seven-point turnaround when Beilstein made two free throws and then hit a three-point shot to give Tustin a 52-45 lead.

Tustin center Brian Reider led all scorers with 21 points and had seven rebounds.

Capistrano Valley (3-1) made only 20 of 59 shots and its two big men--forward Steve Ransom and McCorkle--had mediocre games. Ransom made only 2 of 10 shots; McCorkle was five of 13 from the field.

“They’re a good team, and they beat us,” Capistrano Valley Coach Mark Thornton said. “Still, we had our chances.”

In other Trabuco Hills tournament games:

Marina 60, J.W. North 57--Cherokee Parks’ supporting cast, guards Sean Haselrig, Mike Carreon and Christen McLemore, were the difference in the game. Carreon scored 12 points, including three free throws and a basket in the final two minutes of play. McLemore added eight points.

Mater Dei 82, Rancho Buena Vista 69--Forward J.J. Ballesteros had 18 points and teammate Reggie Geary added 17 points as Mater Dei (2-1) rebounded from its first loss in nearly a year.