Desert Oasis’ Desi-Rae Young (23) cheers during the second half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Desert Oasis’ Desi-Rae Young, left, looks to shoot against Bishop Gorman’s Tierney Holcombe during the second half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Desert Oasis’ Melissa Simmons (25) looks to pass to keep the ball in under pressure from Bishop Gorman’s Caira Young (1) during the second half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Bishop Gorman’s Tierney Holcombe, left, shoots the ball under pressure from Desert Oasis’ Desi-Rae Young during the first half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Desert Oasis’ Sierra Mich’l (30) gets a rebound over Bishop Gorman’s Tierney Holcombe (23) during the first half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Desert Oasis’ Eliyjah Pricebrooks (5) drives against Bishop Gorman’s Caira Young (1) during the second half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Bishop Gorman’s Maleah Turner (10) tries to intercept a pass intended for Desert Oasis’ Sierra Mich’l during the second half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Desert Oasis fans cheer during the second half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Bishop Gorman’s Tierney Holcombe (23) moves the ball around Desert Oasis’ Melissa Simmons (25) during the first half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Bishop Gorman’s Caira Young (1) drives the ball against Desert Oasis during the first half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Bishop Gorman’s Bentleigh Hoskins (24) brings the ball up court against Desert Oasis’ Brianna Clark (4) during the first half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Desert Oasis’ Sierra Mich’l, center, gets a rebound against Bishop Gorman’s Lexi Kruljac (22) during the first half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Bishop Gorman’s Olivia Smith (11) shoots past Desert Oasis’ Sierra Mich’l (30) during the first half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Desert Oasis’ Brianna Clark (4) brings the ball up court against Bishop Gorman’s Caira Young (1) during the second half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Bishop Gorman’s Bentleigh Hoskins (24) drives the ball past Desert Oasis’ Eliyjah Pricebrooks (5) during the second half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Desert Oasis players celebrate their win at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Bishop Gorman’s Bentleigh Hoskins (24) shoots against Desert Oasis’ Sierra Mich’l (30) as Eliyjah Pricebrooks (5) looks on during the first half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Bishop Gorman’s Aaliyah Bey (12) drives to the basket against Desert Oasis during the first half of a basketball game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
Desert Oasis girls basketball coach Laurie Evans-Gygax insists free-throw shooting isn’t one of her team’s strengths.
Wouldn’t have known that Friday night.
Desert Oasis took advantage of a tightly officiated fourth quarter by converting 9 of 13 free throws to seal a 60-57 road victory over Bishop Gorman and take possession of first place in the Southwest League with two games left.
Junior forward Desi-Rae Young scored seven of her game-high 15 in the final period for the Diamondbacks, and junior guard Eliyjah Pricebooks made four 3-pointers en route to 12 points.
“This is what you play for,” Evans-Gygax said. “It was really exciting to come into a packed house for a big girls basketball game and compete. They were focused.”
For good reason.
Desert Oasis (16-4, 9-1) and Gorman (15-7, 8-2) were tied for first in the Southwest League, and both teams were aware of the stakes of their showdown. They spent the better part of three quarters trading baskets — and floor burns — before a near-capacity crowd, resulting in a 49-45 lead for the Gaels with eight minutes left.
But the Diamondbacks abandoned their zone defensive approach for a pressure man-to-man look to take control. Young converted three layups, and the Gaels committed several fouls in the backcourt, allowing Desert Oasis to utilize the double bonus in the final six minutes.
Senior guard Brianna Clark made three free throws to give the Diamondbacks the lead for good with 1:55 left. Gorman struggled to score down the stretch and missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer as time expired.
“All we had to do was hold the ball, relax and take it easy,” Young said. “We were eating, all day, making shots, hitting our free throws.”
Caira Young scored 13 points to lead the Gaels, who hit 6 of 16 free-throw attempts.