SEA VIEW LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Tustin Takes Control of the Boards, Keeps Woodbridge at Bay

When the games really count, don’t count out the Tustin High School boys’ basketball team.

Tustin, which had struggled in the preseason, rose to the occasion Friday night, winning its Sea View League opener, 59-47, over visiting Woodbridge. The victory was Tustin’s eighth in its past nine games.

The defending State Division II champion had started slowly with standout guard Jentry Moore nursing a severe ankle sprain and two other starters, Jason Reynolds and Maurice Fletcher, competing in the Southern Section football playoffs.

Predictably, Tustin (11-6, 1-0) opened with a 3-5 record in the Trabuco Hills tournament and the Tournament of Champions against some of the best teams in the county.

“We’re achieving some continuity,” Tustin Coach Tom McCluskey said. “We’ve only had eight games to put it all together.”

Tustin took a big step toward winning another league title in a game that matched the two-best teams in the six-team league, according to Woodbridge Coach Bill Shannon.

“From what I’ve seen, yeah, these are the two-best teams in the league,” Shannon said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t play like one of them tonight.”

Woodbridge (9-4, 0-1) dug a big hole in the first half, falling behind by as many as 15 points as Tustin controlled the boards. For instance, Tustin center Tab Reid rebounded a missed shot by teammate Derek Roche and scored on an uncontested follow shot for a 32-19 lead with 3:07 remaining.

But Tustin was unable to put Woodbridge away in the third quarter when Roche, Reid and Jason Reynolds all picked up their fourth fouls. Woodbridge was still close when Roche drew a technical foul and then McCluskey followed shortly afterward with his second technical foul.

Woodbridge made three of four foul shots to trim Tustin’s lead to 48-40 with 2:06 left, but the Tillers made eight free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

“They hurt us on the boards in the first half, but we had opportunities to come back in the third and fourth quarter and didn’t capitalize,” Shannon said.

Woodbridge’s biggest break came when McCluskey lost his cool in the fourth quarter. The fifth-year coach also drew a technical with 39 seconds left in the first half on a play in which both coaches were assessed technicals simultaneously.

Afterward, McCluskey criticized his team’s over-aggressiveness in an emotional ballgame.

“We can’t afford to foul,” he said. “It’s killing us. We were way too aggressive. We’re making progress, but we still have a long way to go.”

In another league game:

Saddleback 77, University 66--At the start of the fourth quarter, Saddleback held a 58-57 lead, but the Roadrunners broke open the game in the quarter, outscoring University, 19-9. Forward Jason Register scored 31 points for Saddleback (9-6, 1-0). Josh Whelihan had 17 points for University (6-10, 0-1).