Titus’ Basket at Buzzer Gives 49ers a Victory

They shouted. They embraced. They jumped for joy.

And that was just the coaches.

Not to be outdone, Long Beach State’s players celebrated as well but with much better form. The commotion--and emotion--came courtesy of guard Brandon Titus, who enabled a little light to creep into this long-running road horror show Thursday night.

Titus made a three-point basket as time expired to give Long Beach State a 68-67 Big West Conference victory over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in front of 2,979 at Mott Gym.

“This is just an unbelievable feeling,” Titus said. “The last time I had a chance to win a game with a three-pointer was in high school.

“I missed that one.”

Nothing but net this time.

Titus’ shot gave him 19 points and a game-winner, but it did even more for the 49ers’ collective psyche. The 49ers aren’t what you would call road warriors, losers of four consecutive games on their way to a 1-9 record before Thursday night.

In one release of the basketball, Titus gave Long Beach a share--with UC Santa Barbara--of second place in the Western Division at 9-12 overall and 5-6 in conference--and sucked the life right out of the Mustangs’ stunned fans.

“With how hard things have been, we really needed this,” said guard James Cotton, who dropped to the floor and thanked God for the victory on seeing Titus’ shot fall through the nets. “This means a lot because of all the adversity we’ve been through.”

Said 49er Coach Wayne Morgan: “I think I was jumping higher than the players were.”

The final play was a fast-paced sprint that was like the game itself: Often chaotic, usually fun and gut-wrenching to the end for everyone involved.

Ben Larson made a 10-foot baseline jumper over 49er point guard Tommie Davis to put the Mustangs (11-13, 4-7) ahead, 67-65, with 6.1 seconds to play.

Had the 49ers let this game slip away, they would have wasted another clutch performance from Cotton. When his teammates couldn’t find the basket during the middle of the second half, the Big West’s scoring leader kept them in the game, scoring 13 of his game-high 26 points during that stretch.

But there would be no 49er gaffes in the clutch on this night.

After Larson’s shot, Long Beach used a timeout with 5.8 seconds remaining. Morgan designed a play for Cotton (“Home run,” Morgan calls it) and Titus inbounded the ball under the Mustangs’ basket.

Mustang Coach Jeff Schneider decided to try to deny the ball from 49er point guard Tommie Davis, who is among the quickest players at his position in the Big West. But Titus got the ball to Davis and Schneider immediately realized he had a big problem.

“As soon as they inbounded it, I could see that we didn’t have Titus covered,” he said. “If I would have had a timeout left I would have used it to take the double team off Davis as soon as I saw how they came out of their timeout. But I didn’t have one left, so that’s just the way it goes.”

And off went Davis, racing past mid-court and passing to Titus on the left side of the three-point arc with under two seconds left. Titus was uncontested for the shot, and you know the rest.

“I knew it was supposed to go to James, but I told Tommie that I would be on his left side if he got into trouble,” Titus said. “Tommie did a great job getting me the ball.”

Said Davis, who had 11 points and nine assists: “I saw him out the corner of my eye the whole way.”

The Mustangs’ feelings were expected.

“To lose a game like that really hurts,” said guard Mike Wozniak, who scored 24 points. “To lose a game where you’re leading with up to five seconds left it’s . . . it’s just heartbreaking.”

Morgan can relate.

“Earlier in the season, we’d stay in games and then we wouldn’t make the plays we needed to at the end to win them,” Morgan said. “We’re making the plays now.”