MISSION VIEJO – Ella Gardiner’s running jump shot at the buzzer in overtime lifted San Clemente to a 41-40 victory over Trabuco Hills in a CIF-SS Division 3AA second-round playoff game Saturday night at Trabuco Hills High.
Gardiner’s shot capped a wild overtime period and came seconds after Sierra Clark hit a 3-pointer from well beyond NBA distance as the shot clock ran out to give the Mustangs a 40-39 lead.
San Clemente (15-12) was left with 7.3 seconds to run a play after Clark’s basket.
The Tritons got the ball to Kelsey Murphy in the key. Murphy dished to Garner, who was running toward the basket from the top of the key.
Gardiner, a freshman from New Zealand who has been in the U.S. for a year, took the pass and softly shot the ball, which banked in off the backboard.
“I just went in there with the mentality to get the ball, go straight for the hoop and just get it right there,” Gardiner said. “It’s unbelievable. I can’t even explain it.”
Gardiner led all scorers with 14 points.
“She’s a special player,” Tritons coach Kerri Husbands said.
San Clemente will be home for its quarterfinal game against Bishop Amat on Wednesday night.
The Mustangs (17-9) led for most of the game and were up by seven going into the fourth quarter.
Senior Amy Harris, who finished with 11 points and 17 rebounds, scored six in the fourth to help send the contest to overtime.
The Mustangs made their share clutch shots earlier in the game.
In the third quarter, Kimberly Hom hit a 3-pointer just as the shot clock expired to give the Trabuco Hills a 22-15 lead, and Clark hit a 3-pointer as time ran out in the third to give the Mustangs a 29-22 lead going into the fourth.
