SOUTHERN SECTION BOYS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : DIVISION II-AA : Tustin Overcomes 9-Point Deficit in 3 Minutes to Edge Gahr

CERRITOS —  Reserve forward Rod Scheuerman made two free throws with four seconds remaining to give Tustin a 50-48 victory over Gahr Tuesday night in the second round of the Southern Section Division II-AA playoffs.

Tustin overcame a nine-point deficit in the final three minutes of play to advance to the quarterfinals, where it will meet Pasadena Muir Friday at a site to be determined. Muir advanced with a 49-47 victory over Bishop Amat.

Tustin (21-7) outscored Gahr, 11-0, after Gahr guard Raymond James made a baseline jumper with 3:27 left to play that pushed his team ahead, 48-39. But it was the last time Gahr would score after dominating the game for 3 1/2 quarters.

“Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good,” Tustin Coach Tom McCluskey said afterward. “We never got into our offense. Their half-court zone defense and press with those great athletes . . . It was hard to penetrate that zone.”

But somehow, Tustin managed to pull out a victory aided by two significant three-point shots. The Tustin rally:

--Guard Derek Roche hits a three-pointer with 3:12 remaining to trim Gahr’s lead to 48-42. Eighteen seconds later, teammate Maurice Fletcher makes only one of two free-throw attempts and the Tillers trail 48-43.

--Guard Gentry Moore rebounds a missed shot and dribbles the length of the court for a layup with 2:31 remaining and Gahr’s lead is only three, 48-45. Gahr calls a timeout.

--Gahr guard Raymond Jones takes an ill-advised shot that doesn’t draw iron and Tustin rebounds. Fletcher hits a three-point shot from the top of the key with 1:50 left and the score is tied at 48. Gahr calls another timeout.

--Gahr turns the ball over with 1:46 to play, and McCluskey orders his team into a delay game to work for a final shot. The plan calls for Scheuerman to set a screen for Fletcher at the top of the key and the play is executed with about five seconds remaining.

--Fletcher tries a 20-foot jumper that misses, but Gahr’s Brandon Titus is cited for running through a screen set by Scheuerman. Scheuerman will have a one-and-one free-throw opportunity after Gahr’s third timeout.

--Scheuerman makes both free throws to give Tustin a 50-48 lead and Gahr calls its last timeout. When play resumes, Titus shoots an off-balance, 30-foot jump shot that barely misses at the buzzer.

“This hurts,” Gahr Coach Vern Stewart said. “This is a hard way to go out.”

Gahr finished at 19-9.