Erratic free throw shooting will sink a team more than any other deficiency.

Consider it a lesson learned for the Compton High School boys basketball team, which could offer a 5-for-17 performance at the line as an explanation for Saturday’s 50-44 loss to Murrieta Valley in the Southern Section Division 2AA title game at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

The Tarbabes (18-14) missed eight consecutive free throws at one stage of the fourth period, crippling their attempts at cutting into a Murrieta Valley lead.

Leading scorer Cliff Sims Jr., who had 12 points, six rebounds and four assists, was 5-for-14 from the line and misfired on five consecutive foul shots.

The Knighthawks (27-4), on the other hand, were 12-for-20 from the line and just efficient on offense as a whole.

Compton led, 27-22 at halftime and got the first field goal of the second half to go up by seven. Murrieta Valley went on a run, taking a 32-31 lead on a layup by Jackson Helms with 2:48 left in the third quarter.

As Compton’s offensive woes continued after the break, the Nighthawks were able to hold on. After Sims hit a 3-pointer with 50 seconds left to bring the Tarbabes within two points, Murrieta extended its lead as Mark Tarabilda scored on a layup and a free throw. Helms hit a free throw with 19 seconds left for the final points.

“In the first half I thought we played well, but in the second half we got away from our game plan,” Compton coach Tony Thomas said. “That’s when we started going one-on-one and not being patient. Then down the stretch, we kept looking for calls from the refs.”

Compton point guard Allan Guei, who had 12 points, agreed with his coach.

“At the end, we were just rushing and going one-one-one,” he said.

Murrieta coach Steve Tarabilda said it was defense that turned the game in his team’s favor.

“We only gave them 17 points in the second half,” he noted. “It was a matter of us getting in the passing lanes and keeping them out of the paint.”

Junior guard Justin Gudger led the Nighthawks with 21 points and nine rebounds. He was 7-for-11 from the field and 7-for-10 from the line. Helms added 10 points.

Dazjae Hill had eight points and Anthony January added six for the Tarbabes, who host San Joaquin Memorial Tuesday in the first round of the Division II regionals.