Comets rock state champion MSJ 89-70 for tourney title

SAN JACINTO (11-11-2018) – Coach Leigh Marshall's Palomar women's basketball team rocked defending state champion Mt. San Jacinto's world on Sunday afternoon, blowing the Eagles out of their own gym 89-70 to capture the championship of the San Jacinto Lions Club Eagle Tip-Off Tournament.

The Comets had routed Copper Mountain 97-61 and Antelope Valley 77-43 in the first round and semifinal round of the tournament. (See related articles on this web site)

Palomar's Clarissa Taite, a 5-foot-6 sophomore guard out of Carlsbad High School, led the Comets past Mt. San Jac with 21 points, going 7-for-16 from the field, 2-for-5 from behind the 3-point arc and 5-for-8 from the free throw stripe. Taite was named MVP of the tournament.

Taite also had two steals and an assist, and she was joined on the all-tournament team by two Palomar teammates – Taylor Williams, a 5-foot-4 freshman guard from Mira Mesa High School, and Keiara Barton, a 5-foot-8 freshman guard from Vista Murrieta High.

Imari Cooley, a 5-foot-8 freshman guard from Vista Murrieta High (11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist), and Julie Saelee, a 5-foot-4 freshman guard from Monterey Trails High in Elks Grove, CA, (10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist) joined Taite and Williams (10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals) as double-figure scorers for Palomar.

Barton (9 points, 3 assists, 2 steals) narrowly missed scoring in double figures in the championship game.

After the teams battled to a 16-16 tie after the first quarter, the Comets (4-0 on the season) took complete control of the game by blitzing the defending state champions 36-21 in the second quarter to lead 52-37 at halftime.

Britney Neely (20 points, 9 rebounds) led Mt. San Jacinto, which fell to 2-1 on the season.