NORTH-SOUTH ALL-STAR BASKETBALL GAMES : Tustin’s Davis Times It Right for South : Girls: Her play late helps produce a 74-72 victory over the North team.

COSTA MESA â€”  Sarah Davis never considered herself a star on Tustin High’s basketball team.

And she wondered if she would get a scholarship offer because she wasn’t sure how the Scholastic Aptitude Test was going to turn out.

Well, everything turned out all right.

Seven days after signing a letter of intent to Long Beach State, Davis put her signature on the 17th Orange County all-star basketball game Saturday at Orange Coast College, a 74-72 victory for a team of South County seniors.

Davis didn’t have star-quality statistics, but she had star-quality timing.

Her play helped the South overcome a four-point deficit with 5 minutes 57 seconds left. The play of the night came with 11 seconds to go when her steal of an inbounds pass at half court prevented the North team from taking a final shot. She was fouled, and her free throw with seven seconds left secured the victory.

“I wasn’t the big standout at Tustin,� said Davis, who averaged 12.2 points. “I felt I would be a contributor, but not a key person out here. I just went in and did what I could.�

Her athleticism and defense in the first half ensured she would play a lot in the second.

“I didn’t expect her to be in the game at crunch time,� South Coach Mary Mulligan, of San Clemente, said. “But in the first half, she proved this was her type of game--scrappy, open court.�

Davis finished with five points, two steals and two rebounds.

Another low-profile player, Westminster’s Lisa Tamamasui, had the basket that broke a 71-71 tie. Her shot with 20 seconds left put pressure on the North, which was loaded with post players. Mater Dei’s Leticia Oseguera missed from underneath with 14 seconds remaining, but was fouled after the rebound. Needing two to tie the score, she made a free throw before Davis closed out the scoring.

The South had a 60-51 lead with about 10 minutes remaining before the North rallied. The Brea-Olinda combination of Sarah Beckley and Colleen Hudson--together in the game for the first time--sparked an 11-3 run that made it 67-63 for the North, and Katella’s Chris Carrillo scored eight of her team-high 15 points. But Beckley came out with 5:57 left and the South made up the difference within two minutes. A drive by Woodbridge’s Jamie Oenning gave the South a 68-67 lead.

Carrillo’s third three-point basket tied it at 71 with 1:00 left.

Dana Hills’ Karun Grossman won a three-point shooting contest at halftime and said it helped her find her shooting touch. She was five of eight in the second half, had a game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds and was named the game’s most valuable player.