TARKANIAN GIRLS: ‘All-everything’ Jacobs helps Gorman win title

Megan Jacobs didn't win the Most Valuable Player award for the Tarkanian Classic.

But it's likely that Bishop Gorman's girls basketball team wouldn't have won Monday without the versatile senior.

Jacobs made two valuable plays late in the second half, and the host Gaels held on to beat Campbell County (Wyo.) 63-61 in the championship game of the Diamond Division.

"Megan's our all-everything," Gorman coach Sheryl Krmpotich said. "She is the one that calms us down, she's the one that speeds us up. You expect that from your veterans, especially her experience at this level, being a four-year starter for me, practically. ... She's a very smart basketball player."

Jacobs found Madison Washington for a key basket that put Gorman (11-0) up 62-54 with 2:30 remaining and blocked a close-range shot by Campbell County's Jessie Geer to preserve the Gaels' 62-58 lead in the final 30 seconds.

Jacobs, a Utah signee, finished with eight points, seven rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots, as the Gaels one-upped their boys team and won the tournament title in its first year with a girls division. The girls field is expected to expand from nine to 32 teams next year.

"At the end, making the play is the biggest thing because it could have gone two different ways," Krmpotich said. "The girls made plays when it mattered, and that's the difference. That's why we won."

Washington led Gorman with 15 points, despite sitting for much of the second half with four fouls. Raychel Stanley had 13 points and six rebounds to claim MVP honors, and Skylar Jackson had nine of her 12 points in the first half for the Gaels.

Gorman opened the game on a 21-6 run as Stanley overpowered the smaller Camels inside. But Campbell County made nine 3-pointers and took advantage of 15 Gorman turnovers to get back in the game.

Campbell County, the defending Wyoming 4A state champion, trailed 33-29 at halftime and tied the score at 46 on a 3-pointer by Haley Urbatsch with 7:25 left in the second half.

"You see it all the time in the game of basketball," Krmpotich said. "That was their run, we just didn't stop it and start ours. We let that go too long, and it became a game."

But Jacobs drove the lane on Gorman's next possession and scored to put the Gaels ahead 48-46, and Stanley's three-point play with 3:05 remaining gave the Gaels a 60-54 lead.

Urbatsch led the Camels with 15 points and nine rebounds. Lauren Hallcroft had 12 points and six rebounds, and Geer scored 11 for Campbell County.

"We're 11-0 and not playing our best basketball yet," Krmpotich said. "You always want to win. We have our struggles with certain things. Sometimes we look amazing, sometimes it's like hair pulling. However, I want to be jelling and in sync in February, not now."

Rainier Beach (Wash.) 67, Silverado 26 — At Gorman, Deja Siaki had 11 points in the Skyhawks' loss to the Vikings in the third-place game.

Siaki was named to the all-tournament team.

Silverado was held to two field goals in the opening 16 minutes. Imani Dunn had 13 of her 18 points in the second half as Rainier Beach outscored the Skyhawks, 43-15.

Nirae Petty had 13 points, and Florence Jimerson scored 10 for the Vikings.

Durango 47, C.I. Gibson (Bahamas) 35 — At Gorman, Analiyah Matthews had 12 of her 15 points in the second half, and the Trailblazers won in the consolation bracket.

Brittany Romo added 10 points and made two 3-pointers for Durango, which led 22-13 at halftime.

Santac Brown had 14 points for C.I. Gibson.

Desert Oasis 56, South Gate (Calif.) 34 — At Gorman, Sierra Mich'l notched a team-high 13 points, and the Diamondbacks downed the Rams.

Mikala Kirby had 10 points as eight players scored for Desert Oasis. Dajaah Lightfoot scored eight of her 10 points in the first half to help the Diamondbacks take a 34-20 lead.

Isabel Lizarraga and Clarissa Rodriguez each finished with 15 points for South Gate.

— Contact reporter David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidSchoenLVRJ