Tustin Advances Amid Mixed Reviews

One reason basketball coaches want their teams to play in early-season tournaments is because the games reveal as many warts as beauty marks.

Tustin had its share of each in its 60-56 victory over Glendale Hoover in the second round of the Sonora Cage Classic Wednesday at Sonora.

The Tillers (6-2), ranked sixth in the county, have the size and quickness to be formidable when the playoffs begin in February. But they also are showing some old tendencies--questionable shot selection, playing down to the level of the opponent--that made them an average team last season.

Only a furious fourth-quarter rally--outscoring the Tornadoes 18-6 in the final four minutes--plus a switch to a 1-3-1 trapping zone that forced several late turnovers kept Tustin from being upset by Hoover (5-2), which made up for its lack in height and quickness with hustle and grit.

Not surprisingly, neither coach was enthralled by what he witnessed.

“We were horrible today,” said Tustin Coach Andy Ground, noting his team won its fourth in a row despite shooting only 40% (23 of 58) and being outrebounded, 36-30.

“We were very fortunate to win. We’re going to have to improve a lot, because it’s only going to get tougher from here on out.”

Glendale Coach Kirt Kohlmeier said his team “played afraid,” although the Tornadoes challenged the taller Tillers and had seven more free-throw attempts (25-18) than Tustin.

“We were afraid to run our offense,” Kohlmeier said. “But that’s part of the learning experience you go through as a team this time of the year.”

Tustin is learning that forward-center DeAngelo Collins could develop into a force on both ends of the floor. The 6-9 freshman played Tornadoes’ 6-5 senior center Zareh Avedian pretty even: both had five blocks, and Collins had the edge in rebounds (15-13) and points (20-17).

Also important to Tustin was point guard Cameron Jackson (16 points), who made three straight baskets in the final two minutes to keep the Tillers within a point of Hoover.

With 52 seconds to play, Collins made two free throws to give Tustin the lead for good, 57-56.

But the Tillers would not have been in position to win if they had not switched from man-to-man to the 1-3-1 with four minutes to play.

Not only did it force three crucial turnovers in the final minutes, but Tustin also was quick enough to cover Hoover, which tried to counter with a four-corners offense.

“The 1-3-1 definitely changed the momentum of the game,” Ground said. “But we had to do something.”