HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : Torrey Pines Knocks Off No. 2 Poway in OT

Second-ranked Poway on Wednesday night spanned a full range of emotions, the last of which was total disappointment.

The Titans overcame an exasperating 17-point halftime deficit only to lose in overtime to Torrey Pines, 62-61, in a Palomar League boys’ basketball game.

At the final buzzer, the Titans were left standing in a disbelieving daze.

Torrey Pines, which moments earlier had felt similarly disheartened by the turn of events, were celebrating as though they had just won a title. Instead, they had earned a share of first place. The Falcons are 14-6, 6-3. Poway is 12-5, 6-3.

Bill Scheibe’s overtime field goal was Torrey Pines’ third in the final 14 minutes, and freshman Eddie Montalvo made a free-throw with 53 seconds left in the extra period to provide all the scoring the Falcons needed.

It was enough, barely.

Mark Wuchner’s shot from 20 feet with two seconds left bounded off the back of the rim and the long rebound went to Scheibe amid a group of Poway players.

“That last ball could have gone either way,” Torrey Pines Coach John Farrell said. “We were just fortunate.”

Very fortunate.

Torrey watched a 17-point halftime lead vaporize, had two starters foul out with more than five minutes left in regulation--and a non-starter with 1:36 left in overtime--and managed only five shots in the fourth quarter. After Poway pulled even at 58-58 with 2:16 remaining and got the ball with 1:33 left, about all the Falcons could do was their breath and cross their fingers.

Poway ran the clock down and hoped Frank Garrett could give them their first lead since 2-0. Garrett, who scored 16 points, drove to the basket--and was called for an offensive foul with three seconds do go.

Scheibe led Torrey Pines with 14 points and Craig Brown added 11 off the bench.

Matt Fletcher led Poway with 20. Kyle Milling had 11 points and nine rebounds.

Torrey Pines has beaten Mt. Carmel, then ranked No. 1, and Poway the past two weeks. They have lost to two unranked teams in between.

They won with outstanding defense in the first half.

“Give Torrey Pines credit, they got after it tonight,” Poway Coach Doug Wealch said. “I’ve never seen Torrey Pines play that hard. . . . We came out tentatively and they came out with fire in their eyes and it showed.”

Poway dug a 14-point hole for itself with eight first-quarter turnovers and 0-for-5 shooting. Eight turnovers in the second quarter increased the deficit to 17.