MISSION VIEJO – Capistrano Valley and Tesoro have spoiled Sea View League boys basketball fans.
Their first meeting was a one-point game, and if it was possible to top that, Friday night’s contest was the one to do it.
Chandler White scored 34 points to lead the Titans past the Cougars, 63-60, in a double-overtime thriller at Capistrano Valley High.
Devon Modster had 12 points and eight rebounds, and Stephen Melanson added six points and seven rebounds for the Titans (12-10, 3-2).
Tesoro is the only team to have defeated the Cougars (16-8, 3-2) in league play, and they have done it twice. The teams are tied for second, one game behind Trabuco Hills, which beat San Juan Hills, 52-45.
“That’s quite an accomplishment, beating them twice this year, because that is a very good team,” Titans coach Steve Garrett said.
Cougars guards Dawson Baker (20 points) and Wolfgang Schultz (18 points) got hot in the extra session. White had the answer, scoring 10 points in the first overtime alone.
Late in the period, though, White missed the second of two free throws. Baker rebounded the miss and ran the length of the floor for the tying layup at the buzzer.
“As a coach, you want to correct the mistake that was made, but the most important thing is moving on to the next play,” Garrett said. “I’m proud of the kids. They stepped up.”
Trevor Jones drained the winning free throw with 32 seconds left in the second overtime.
The Cougars opened the game with a 10-3 lead, but it was tight the rest of the way. Modster’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer tied it, 23-23, going into the half. The teams were tied on eight different occasions from the 3:16 mark of the third quarter to the final horn.
