Brea’s Lurmann Quietly Controls

Jessica Lurmann had Inglewood Morningside’s number. It didn’t work the other way around.

“I don’t mean to sound flip,” Roderick Tatum said after Saturday’s game, “but I don’t even remember No. 31.”

The Morningside coach should have remembered. Costa Mesa’s Lurmann, a 5-foot-9 forward/center, collected 14 rebounds against the Monarchs.

As a reserve.

Lurmann’s effort played a central role in the second-seeded Mustangs’ 49-46 upset of No. 1 Morningside to win the Southern California Girls’ Division III title.

Morningside held a height advantage over the Costa Mesa starters, and Lurmann replaced 6-2 April Van Sweden, the Mustangs’ tallest player, for much of the game.

Though Lurmann finished with only one point, her play was pivotal.

She entered late in the first quarter. Costa Mesa was playing tentatively and trailed by three points. Lurmann played all of the second period as the Mustangs outscored Morningside, 16-11, and took a 23-20 halftime lead.

“Jessica is so strong,” said teammate Olivia DiCamilli, who had 11 rebounds. “You can’t get around her. She holds her ground great.”

And that was a key to the game. Costa Mesa blocked out against the Monarchs and didn’t let them do what they do best--score off the offensive rebound. Under Morningside’s basket, Costa Mesa held a 29-21 rebounding margin.

“Being taller doesn’t mean anything if you screen out,” Lurmann said.

“In a way, (their size) does scare you, but we couldn’t let that scare us.”

Lurmann, who played 24 of the 32 minutes, said she was surprised she played as much as she did.

Costa Mesa Coach Lisa McNamee wasn’t surprised.

“I think she’s a little spark off the bench,” McNamee said. “(Rebounding is) a thankless job--nobody gets their name in the paper for rebounding. But with a short team like we have, we have to rebound.”

Lurmann, a senior, didn’t play last year because of her strained relationship with Coach Jim Weeks. But a new coach and staff opened the door of opportunity.

“She’s one of the most improved kids on the team,” McNamee said. “She didn’t even know how to post-up when we got her. She’s been a key for us on the boards and with her defense.”

Assistants Kim Beckhart and Cindy Vyskocil worked with Lurmann, and their efforts have paid off.

“(Lurmann) has great court sense and great hands,” said teammate Yool Kim, who got 11 rebounds, most of them off the floor. “You can’t take that away from a player.”

Perhaps Lurmann’s biggest rebound came with 40 seconds remaining and Costa Mesa holding a 49-46 lead. Tina Thompson, who had a game-high 19 rebounds for Morningside, was at the free-throw line trying to complete a three-point play.

Thompson missed, and Lurmann came down with the ball.

“If they had gotten the rebound and made that shot, they might have had a chance to win,” Kim said.

Morningside didn’t get the ball back until 11 seconds remained and, needing to tie, were forced to attempt an off-balance three-pointer.

When that shot went awry, the best game of Lurmann’s career was complete.