SCOTT LINNETT / Union-Tribune Poway's Drew Leininger (right), who finished with 13 rebounds, battles Hilltop's Christian Welch (left) and Antonio Carrillo for the ball. The Titans edged Hilltop 73-72 in overtime in a first-round Division I playoff game at Hilltop.

Not only did Leininger collect the offensive carom, he went back up to hit a short bank shot that gave the visiting Titans a two-point lead with 55 seconds remaining in overtime.

Brian Kuklok protected that advantage by hitting three of four free throws in the final 32 seconds as Poway survived a three-pointer at the buzzer to edge Hilltop 73-72.

“Just about everyone out there is bigger than me,” said Leininger, who finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds. “For me, it's just desire. There was contact all over the place, but I knew we had to have that one (rebound).

Poway (21-8) seldom led in the game – in fact, only once in regulation at 60-58. Hilltop (21-7), which saw its 11-game winning streak end, led by as many as 14.

Credit Kuklok for igniting the Poway comeback. The 6-foot-3 junior rang up 27 of his game-high 34 points after intermission.

Kuklok connected on 13-of-21 shots, including 5-of-9 from three-point range.

“I was pretty nervous since this was my first playoff game,” said Kuklok, who missed his first four shots. “It was taking me too long to get in a groove. I knew I was letting my team down, so I wanted to come back in a big way.”

At one stretch, Kuklok hit seven shots in succession totaling 17 points.

“My teammates did a good job of getting me the ball and setting screens,” Kuklok said. “I just move from one wing to the other, trying to get myself open.”

For awhile Kuklok was getting uncontested looks.

“That didn't last too long,” he said. “They were getting into me pretty good.”

Kuklok scored on an inbounds pass for a 62-62 tie, sending the game into overtime. Leininger (six) and Kuklok (five) accounted for all of Poway's overtime points.