Murray Hits Free Throws to Beat Tustin

Glendora’s unbeaten streak lives and the match-up of the younger brothers of Bruins is set for Saturday.

Top-seeded Glendora (30-0) and Cameron Murray plays second-seeded Lakewood Artesia and Charles O’Bannon in the Southern Section II-AA championship at the L.A. Sports Arena.

So where does that leave Tustin, Glendora’s semifinal opponent? Out in the cold after a 57-55 loss Tuesday night at Ocean View High.

It took two free throws by Murray, the brother of UCLA’s Tracy Murray, with two seconds left to finally subdue unseeded Tustin (22-8).

Artesia advanced to the title game with a 58-47 victory over Oxnard Rio Mesa as O’Bannon, the brother of UCLA forward Ed O’Bannon, scored 26 points.

For a half, Tustin, the defending State Division II champion, seem destined to wreck the match-up.

The Tillers hounded Murray on the perimeter and clogged up the key. They shredded Glendora’s defense with slashing drives and open jump shots.

And when Tustin’s Tab Reid made two free throws with 6:51 left in the first half, the Tillers led, 23-12.

“They were out of their game,” Tustin Coach Tom McCluskey said. “We had some serious momentum going there.”

Indeed. Glendora seemed desperate. After all, the Tartans had trailed at halftime only once before this season, according to Coach Mike LeDuc.

But then Tustin got into foul trouble and Glendora roared back to tie, 41-41, by the end of the third quarter, setting up a stirring fourth quarter.

For 7:58, the teams matched drives to the basket, outside shots, stubborn defense and free throws.

With 1:33 left, Tustin’s Jentry Moore missed two free throws that would have put Tustin ahead. A moment later, however, Murray stole the ball and made a layup to give Glendora a 55-53 lead.

With 29 seconds left, Moore made two free throws to tie it at 55-55.

Glendora worked the clock, then called timeout with 16 second left.

Murray took the inbounds pass and faced off against Moore. With less than 10 seconds remaining, Murray drove left into the key and spun toward the basket. Moore reached in and raked the ball away, but was called for a foul--his fifth--with two seconds left.

Murray made the first free throw, then the second for the last of his game-high 23 points.

It was the second time this season that Glendora needed two free throws by Murray to win a game. The other time, his free throws defeated Baseline League rival Claremont.

Tustin hurried the ball down court, but couldn’t get off a shot before the buzzer.

Moore and Derek Roche, who also fouled out, each scored 15 points for Tustin.