SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BOYS BASKETBALL REGIONALS : Clayton Taking His Game Above and Beyond : Tustin: Power forward, who plays taller than his height, leads Tillers into Southern California Regional Division II semifinals.

What makes Thomas Clayton so difficult on the basketball court is that he really does think he’s tall.

Sure, it may only be a state of mind. But when something works, you don’t mess with it.

Clayton is listed at 6 feet 2 on the Tustin High School roster. He smiles at this and admits his actual height is a bit closer to 6-0.

Big deal.

Try telling that to Muir’s Phillip Turner (6-4) and Darren Greene (6-6), who took turns being posted up by Clayton in the Southern Section Division II-AA semifinals. Or mention it to the front line of Riverside North, which also was torn up by Clayton in the II-AA championship game.

The tape measure may say he is the size of a guard, but in Clayton’s heart and mind, he towers over opponents.

“I like going against those big guys,” said the senior power forward. “They think they’re going to push me around, but they’re wrong. On the court I feel I’m as tall as any of them.”

Clayton has proved it against tough competition. The toughest might be tonight against San Pasqual and 6-10 center Erik Meek in the Southern California Regional Division II semifinals at Tustin.

After averaging 13 points and 7.6 rebounds per game during the regular season, Clayton has turned it up a notch for the playoffs. He is averaging 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in postseason play.

“I think it’s a great tribute to Clayton that he has performed so well against guys who are 6-6 and 6-7,” Tustin Coach Tom McCluskey said. “But I’m not surprised. Thomas responds when he’s challenged.”

He certainly accepted the one from McCluskey, who moved him to power forward last season out of necessity.

Clayton started the year at small forward, which in the Tustin offense plays on the perimeter. However, he was moved inside after Jason Moore went down with a knee injury.

So Clayton spent the season banging with the big boys. Of course, it wasn’t too difficult considering he had a 40-inch vertical leap.

“I don’t think we hurt Thomas by making him play inside,” McCluskey said.

On the contrary, it was Clayton who dealt out the punishment. He averaged 10.2 points and led the team in rebounding (6.9).

His play helped the Tillers reach the quarterfinals of the Southern Section playoffs.

“I didn’t mind going inside,” Clayton said. “I knew they were going to come at me, but that was all right. I can push just as hard as they can.”

To make up for his size disadvantage, Clayton makes the bigger players guard him.

He draws them out around the free-throw line, then uses his quickness to drive past them. If they don’t come out, he’s perfectly capable of sinking a jumper from 12 to 15 feet out.

“The thing that makes Clayton tough is he keeps working to beat his man,” Corona del Mar Coach Paul Orris said. “He works well to get position.”

There was one big man whom Clayton said he couldn’t handle. Cherokee Parks, the 6-11 senior center from Marina.

Of course, he’s not alone there

“We all were trying to guard him that night (in the Trabuco Hills tournament),” Clayton said. “None of us were successful.”

Clayton again led the Tillers in rebounding this season. He also has been the team’s go-to guy when things get tough.

Against Muir in the semifinals, Tustin trailed, 38-32, at halftime. The Tillers came out in the third quarter determined to get the ball inside.

Clayton scored eight of his game-high 20 points in the third quarter. He went head-to-head against Turner and Greene and came out the winner.

“Thomas did that on sheer will,” McCluskey said. “I don’t think I have ever seen him play better.”

Said Clayton: “Those guys were big, but I wanted it. I go every game like that, for 32 minutes.”

In the final, Clayton dominated North’s Desmond Granger (6-5). He scored 17 points and made five of his last seven shots, including a tomahawk dunk with two mintes left that gave Tustin a 58-38 lead.

The Tiller won, 70-42.

“We’re a real small team and people think they can push us around,” Clayton said. “They find out they’re wrong. We can manhandle them as much as they can manhandle us.”

And it’s usually Thomas who does the manhandling.

“I know Thomas isn’t even 6-2, but he plays like he’s 6-8,” McCluskey said.