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Glendora’s Last-Gasp Shot Stuns Trabuco Hills, 55-53 : Division II: Sophomore Cameron Murray’s scoop shot in final second keeps Mustangs from advancing to regional final.

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SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

It was an improbable, off-balance, desperation, last-second shot.

Unfortunately for Trabuco Hills, Glendora’s talented sophomore Cameron Murray was making the attempt--a double-pump, underhanded scoop shot from the top of the key with two defenders hanging on him--and the ball miraculously dropped through the net with no time remaining to give the Tartans a 55-53 victory Thursday night at Cal Poly Pomona.

As a result, Glendora (33-0) will face Artesia, which defeated Torrey Pines, 56-46, at 5 p.m. Saturday at the L.A. Sports Arena in the championship game of the Southern California Division II boys’ basketball regional.

With the score tied at 53, Glendora had possession and called time with two seconds remaining.

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“Believe it or not, we did draw that play up in the huddle,” Glendora Coach Mike LeDuc said. “We wanted to get the ball to Cameron, have him put the ball on the floor and put it up. We knew he could make a shot like that.”

“We did everything we wanted to do (on defense),” Trabuco Hills Coach Rainer Wulf said, “but he made the shot. I’m so proud of my team. With a couple of breaks, we would have won. We lost to a class program in Glendora.”

Trabuco Hills (26-6) trailed, 52-46, after Brandon Lee’s basket with 4:45 left, but the Mustangs rallied to take a 53-52 lead on Gavin Vanderputten’s 12-footer with 34 seconds remaining. Glendora’s David Mitchell was fouled on the ensuing possession. He missed the first free throw but hit the second to tie the score with 19 seconds remaining.

The Mustangs called timeout with five seconds left, but the play called on the sideline misfired when Vanderputten was unable to take the high inbounds pass cleanly, fell down with the ball and was called for a traveling violation.

Glendora called time out with three seconds remaining, inbounded the ball and took it to half court, and called time out again to set up Murray’s lethal last-ditch shot.

Murray led all scorers with 26 points. Corey Klinke led Trabuco Hills with 20 points, including 11 in the third quarter, and 11 rebounds. Vanderputten scored 18 points and pulled down 10 rebounds.

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