SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : Needham Finds Her Touch Just in Time to Lead Tustin to Final

Tustin is playing in the Southern Section girls’ basketball tournament today, thanks to Shari Needham’s rediscovery of her long-range shot.

Needham, who had made only one three-pointer in 27 games before Wednesday, staged a three-point revival in Tustin’s 50-45 semifinal victory over Ventura by canning three three-point shots, including two in the final 2 minutes 40 seconds.

“She had 20 three-pointers in her first two years here,” Tustin Coach Rick Falk said. “But this season, she just wasn’t looking for it.”

Needham’s 28-point outburst Wednesday at Costa Mesa High School helped propel the Tillers (21-7) into the II-AA championship game at 1 p.m. today at the Bren Center against Cerritos Gahr (24-4).

Although the Gladiators are top-seeded and have 6-foot-2 all-Southern Section center Allison Arredondo, the Tillers are grateful to be in the final.

Tustin is also glad to have the 6-0 Needham.

As a returning all-county forward, Needham is averaging 18.7 points this season and has quietly become the school’s all-time leading scorer, amassing 1,353 points. Needham is also second on the school’s all-time rebounding list with 790.

Among the colleges that have contacted Needham are San Diego State, UC Riverside, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal State Northridge, Falk said.

Despite the attention, Needham has always been in the shadow of all-county forward Christine Garner.

As the school’s top rebounder, Garner has more than 900 rebounds and is second to Needham on the school’s all-time scoring list. Garner is also an all-county volleyball player who will attend Arizona State on a volleyball scholarship next season.

“It kind of bugged me, the attention Christine got,” Needham said. “But once we get on the court, we all play as a team.”

“Sometimes when Christine is out there, Shari’s content to just fall into the background,” Falk said. “But the one thing I noticed when Christine went down, Shari immediately stepped forward to take charge,”

Garner sprained an ankle 1 minute 48 seconds into the first quarter of the semifinals, but Needham scored seven first-quarter points to keep the Tillers within 11-9 after one quarter. Garner returned to the game, but limited because of foul trouble and a tender ankle, managed only 10 points.

So it was Needham who led Tustin’s 22-6 fourth-quarter blitz with 13 points to help erase a 13-point Ventura lead.

Needham capped the rally with her pair of three-pointers, including a three-pointer from 24-feet on the left wing to give Tustin a 45-43 lead, and another from the right corner for a 48-43 lead with one minute remaining.

“Last year I worked on the three-pointer a lot,” Needham said. “But I didn’t think I was consistent with it. This year I just wanted to concentrate more on my inside game.”

Falk said Needham’s versatility is one of her greatest assets.

“Another thing she’s done so well is improve her defense,” Falk said. “As a sophomore she couldn’t box anybody out under the boards. Now, she never gets out of position and is just as physical as anyone.”

And with Needham’s help, the Tillers have a shot to win their first girls’ basketball Southern Section title today.