DIVISION II BOYS’ PLAYOFFS : Tustin Contains Meek, Beats San Pasqual, 85-61

The organized mayhem Tustin High School calls a basketball team swept past yet another unsuspecting opponent Thursday night.

The Tillers, a benign-looking bunch on first sight, buried San Pasqual, 85-61, in the Southern California Regional Division II semifinals at Tustin. The victory puts Tustin in Saturday’s regional final against Artesia at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

Tustin (28-4) comes into that game at full speed after Thursday’s victory.

“We never got into our offense,” San Pasqual Coach Tom Buck said. “That wasn’t our fault, they wouldn’t let us do anything. It wasn’t that we played poorly, it was that they made us play poorly.”

With only one starter taller than 6-foot-2, the Tillers look little like the devastation they cause. Their guards, David Beilstein and Derek Roche, look small and slow.

From its full-court press to its half-court offense, Tustin played flawless basketball Thursday. A standing-room only crowd of more than 1,700, most of who were Tustin fans, watched with pleasure while the Tillers carved up the Eagles.

Tustin forced 28 turnovers with its press, 17 of which were in the first half. As a result, San Pasqual managed only 16 shots in the first half and trailed, 39-23.

Thomas Clayton had seven steals and Jentry Moore six.

“We figured we could press them,” Coach Tom McCluskey said. “We thought their guards we suspect.”

Not even the presence of 6-10 Erik Meek could alter the outcome.

Meek, who will attend Duke next fall, had scored 39 points in San Pasqual’s victory over Woodbridge Tuesday. The Tillers held him to 25, five below his season average.

Tustin center Brian Reider, who is three inches shorter, went elbow-to-elbow with Meek.