David Beilstein

School: Tustin High Sport: Basketball Position: Guard Class: Senior

Until Saturday’s Southern California Regional Division II title game with Artesia, Tustin hadn’t been challenged in the regional playoffs, winning by an average margin of 33 points. The Tillers trailed Artesia, the defending state Division II champions, 15-8, early in the second quarter, but Beilstein made sure Tustin rallied for a 51-36 victory. Beilstein, who averaged 20.7 points during the regular season, scored 18 points and had five assists, but those modest statistics don’t begin to tell how much his performance meant to the Tillers. He kept Tustin in the game in the first half, scoring or assisting on 16 of the Tillers’ 21 points. One of Beilstein’s assists allowed center Brian Reider to tie the score at 21-21 with a layup before the half. In the second half after being knocked to the ground by a forearm from an Artesia player, Beilstein got angry and put the game out of reach. He hit a scoop shot to give the Tillers a 10-point lead in the third quarter and two consecutive three-point shots that gave them a 43-29 lead in the fourth.

Other top performers:

Walter Dawkins, who had 12 hits in 17 at-bats, seven runs, six runs batted in, three doubles, three home runs and as a pitcher had one of La Quinta’s four victories.

Steve Friedrich, who was five for five, including two home runs, and drove in six runs in Troy’s 15-13 victory over Santa Margarita.

Keith Miller, who vaulted 15-feet 1-inch in the pole vault as Corona del Mar defeated St. John Bosco, 84-52, in a dual meet.

Matt Taylor, who was named the most valuable player of the Orange County volleyball championships after he had 16 kills as Huntington Beach beat Woodbridge, 15-10, 15-9, for the title.