Jacobs claims D-C tournament title

Stifling, persistent and constant.

All those words aptly describe Jacobs' defensive effort against Lake Zurich Tuesday at the Dundee-Crown girls basketball Thanksgiving Tournament.

Holding the Bears to without a basket for 16 minutes and only 13 points in the final 3 quarters, Jacobs claimed the tournament title with a 41-26 win over Lake Zurich.

Both Jacobs and Cary-Grove were 4-0 in the tournament, but the Golden Eagles garnered 23 tiebreaker points compared to 21 for the Trojans. The tiebreaker is based on quarters won and games won.

"I wanted to make sure we really turned up the ball pressure in the this game," said Jacobs coach Ed Haugens. "(Lake Zurich's Audrey) Bauer is a great player and we wanted to make sure we guarded her closely. This is a great for the girls to win this tournament and go 4-0. All the credit goes to them. We beat a very good Lake Zurich team, which is well-coached."

With Lake Zurich (2-2) holding a 13-10 lead after the first quarter, Jacobs held the Bears without a field goal and to only 2 free throws in the second quarter. With Katy Cook scoring 6 points, Jacobs scored 12 points in the second quarter and led 22 -15 at halftime.

The Golden Eagles (5-0) ensured there wouldn't be a Bear comeback by scoring the first 7 points of the third quarter. Sierra Dunner scored a pair of baskets as Jacobs led 29-15 with 6:08 left in the third quarter.

Lake Zurich's drought without a basket ended when Amanda Orchard scored with 3:12 left in the third quarter.

Hailey Cnota, a 4-year starter for the Golden Eagles, scored 16 points with 12 rebounds.

"We had great focus defensively in this game," said Cnota. "We wanted to take them out of their offense and we did. It is great to win this tournament my senior year."

Bauer led Lake Zurich with 9 points.

"Give Jacobs defense all the credit," said Lake Zurich coach Chris Bennett. "They took us out of what we wanted to do."