Jacobs Fills in Nicely, Leads San Clemente to Victory

On most nights, the San Clemente post player who goes six for eight from the field, scores 14 points and grabs 12 rebounds is Colleen Turnbull. But on Tuesday, with Turnbull battling the flu, it was senior Andrea Jacobs who turned in a standout performance.

Jacobs was one of four San Clemente players who scored 10 points or more as the third-ranked Tritons defeated second-ranked Capistrano Valley, 62-55, in the Cougars’ gym.

It forged a tie atop the South Coast League with San Clemente (22-4, 8-1) one victory from winning a share of its first league title since the school opened in 1978. Capistrano Valley is 19-6, 8-1.

San Clemente, which blew a 12-point lead at home in the last meeting between the teams, overcame a nine-point second-quarter deficit. And in a critical stretch in the third quarter, Jacobs found an uncommon zone.

Trailing, 40-34, Jacobs scored six points, and a steal led to two more during a 16-6 run that provided San Clemente with the lead for good, 50-48. Her two free throws made it 54-48.

Kelley Kruger’s steal resulted in Marissa Ficklin’s layup and Debby Caine (16 points) made all four of her free throws in the final minute.

Taryn Commins scored 12 points and Turnbull had 10 points and nine rebounds, though she left the game with about 3 1/2 minutes left and the Tritons leading by only two.

“Colleen’s a great player, but we’re a great team,” Jacobs said. “We all had to step it up a notch; we beat them as a team.”