SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : Tustin Is Beaten, but Not Devastated, by Dominguez : Division II-A boys: Tillers upbeat after falling, 77-59, to the Dons’ superior talent and depth.

Who won this game?

The scoreboard showed Compton Dominguez posting a 77-59 blowout of Tustin in the Southern Section Division II-A boys’ basketball championship game in front of 9,579 Saturday at The Pond.

But the teams didn’t have the matching attitudes after the game.

Dominguez (29-2) had lost in the section finals in each of the past two seasons, but after the Dons got over the hump by scoring 40 points in the paint and forcing 15 turnovers in the convincing victory, Dons Coach Russell Otis didn’t sound elated.

He sounded angry.

“Tustin was talking all week long that they wanted us,” Otis said. “I guess they got what they wanted. I think we proved without a doubt who was the best.”

The Dons’ best included forward James Brown (19 points), Thomas Prince (18) and James Jones (18), who wore down the Tillers. Tustin (28-2) played mainly its five starters while the Dons rotated nine players in and out of the lineup.

Last season, Dominguez’s depth and talent paved the way to a 70-35 drubbing of Tustin in the Division II-A semifinals. But the Tillers were looking forward to the rematch.

Although Saturday’s game provided another lopsided result, the Tillers found silver linings and were far from devastated.

Doug Gottlieb, who averages 19.5 points and 10 assists, managed only six points through three quarters while the Tillers fell behind by 18 points. But Gottlieb, a 6-foot senior who has signed with Notre Dame, still sounded encouraged.

“We got beat by 35 last year and this year, we lost by what, (18) points?” Gottlieb said. “I’m proud of my teammates. We got down, 10-1, and could have said let’s go home. But we came back strong. We’ll be fine.

“We knew coming in that everyone had to play their best game to beat them. Personally, I didn’t play well enough for us to win this game.”

Gottlieb had 18 points, but 12 came in the fourth quarter after the Dons had seized control. He made only five of 15 from the field (one of eight from three-point range) and had five assists to go with six turnovers.

“I usually let my play do the talking for me,” Gottlieb said. “My game didn’t say much today.”

The one Tiller who gave the Dons fits was 6-7 junior David Lalazarian.

Lalazarian finished with 25 points and five rebounds. He made eight of 11 shots from the field and nine of 11 free throws.

Dominguez’s pressure man-to-man defense stymied the rest of the Tillers. Kenny Brunner and a host of Dons defenders hounded Gottlieb throughout the game. Tustin guard Robert Griffin, who averages 12 points, finished with only five points and took only six shots.

But Tustin was never completely flustered by the pressure and remained within striking distance.

The Tillers only trailed by 10 when Lalazarian picked up his fourth foul with 5 1/2 minutes remaining in the third quarter. But Ground had to stay with him.

“He was our only threat offensively,” Ground said. “I told David we need him on offense, so he was just playing a one-man-zone.”

The Dons took advantage, scoring 14 of their next 16 points inside, to push the lead to 58-38. The lead grew to as many as 24.

Said Gottlieb: “They were better than us. I think we showed them that we can play, but whether we can beat them or not remains to be seen. We’ll be back.”