Tustin Coach Less Than Pleased With Victory Over Woodbridge

IRVINE — Although Tustin, the second-ranked boys’ basketball team in Orange County, escaped with a 68-65 victory over host Woodbridge on Tuesday, Tillers Coach Andy Ground wasn’t thrilled.

Ground watched Chris Burgess, Woodbridge’s sophomore center, rack up 31 points, 16 rebounds and three blocked shots to help the Warriors erase a 13-point deficit in the first quarter. Tustin’s victory wasn’t secure until Woodbridge’s Eric Ripley missed a last-second three-point attempt from 25 feet.

“We were horrible,” Ground said. “It was a lucky victory. We didn’t play defense, we had no patience on offense . . . this is an intense rivalry and it always seems to come down to the last shot or overtime.”

Tustin guard Doug Gottlieb finished with 23 points and 10 assists but missed two of three free throws in the final two minutes that could have clinched the game.

Still, Tustin’s strong start provided enough cushion.

Center David Lalazarian, who had 17 points and 12 rebounds, helped the Tillers outscore Woodbridge, 22-9, in the first quarter. Tustin (13-1) scored eight consecutive points in the first 3 minutes 13 seconds of the game.

“You’d like to get those eight points back,” Woodbridge Coach John Halagan said. “But we showed some heart by not folding up our tent.”

Eric Ripley and Brian Quinn added 11 points each for Woodbridge (11-5).