Jose Morales and Jake Simmons were the lethal backcourt combination that lifted surging Cardinal Gibbons to the Kreul Classic Publix Challenge title at the Coral Springs City Gymnasium on Saturday.

Morales, the MVP, had 14 points and a career-high 13 assists and Simmons scored a game-high 22 points, including four three-pointers as the Chiefs built a 30-10 lead before holding on for a 62-59 victory over reigning Class 8A state champions Hialeah Gardens.

Kreul Publix Challenge Championship — Cardinal Gibbons 62, Hialeah Gardens 59 - HG (11-3): Huertas 6, Gonzalez 20, Simoza 14, Leonardo 5, Sanchez 8, Frye 6. CG (11-1): Andino 10, Morales 14, Simmons 22, Goosby 2, Brooks 8, Duvier 2, Macintosh 6. Half: CG 39-25. Three-pointers: Gonzalez 2, Simoza 1, Sanchez 2, Frye 2, Andino 1, Simmons 4. Rebounds: Goosby 6. Assists: Morales 13. Steals: Simmons 5.

•  Pine Crest 57, High Point Christian (N.C.) 51: Pine Crest guard Lance Crawford fueled a furious second-half rally with 13 of his 19 points in the third quarter, but it wasn’t enough as the Panthers’ comeback bid fell short to High Point Christian (N.C.) in the Kreul Classic Championship consolidation bracket.

Kalvin Cline added 15 points and Veerain Gupta added nine points for the Panthers (11-3).

FABIAN LYON

Kreul Classic Championship — High Point Christian (NC) 57, Pine Crest 51 - HPC (10-1): Kobani 13, Gill 7, Baldwin 7, Wright 4, McLean 8, Kent 8, Phillip 6, Williams 4. PC (11-3): Crawford 19, Vrankovic 4, Goldman 2, Cline 15, Gupta 9, Haeffner 2. Half: HPC 25-19.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Lourdes 60, American Heritage 52: Raiqyne Moncrief’s 25 points were not enough for the American Heritage girls’ basketball team to pull off an upset over Lourdes. The Patriots fell in the 2012 South Florida Holiday Showcase at Dr. Krop High School.

Tiffany Suarez scored 12 of her 28 points in the fourth quarter to put the game away for the Bobcats.

Lourdes 60, American Heritage 52 – LOU (13-1): Suarez 28, Jordan 17, Palmer 12, Nunez 1, Farinas 2. AMH: R. Moncrief 25, Bradley 6, Martinez 2, Osceola 6, K. Moncrief 8, Chisholm 5. Halftime: LOU 32-28. Three-pointers: Jordan 2, Palmer, Suarez, Osceola 2, Chisholm. Rebounds: Suarez 11. Assists: R. Moncrief 4. Steals: R. Moncrief 5. Blocks: K. Moncrief 4.

•  Miramar 56, Sagemont 52: In a battle of two of the top girls’ basketball teams in Broward County, Miramar held on late to take down Sagemont at the 2012 South Florida Holiday Showcase at Krop High School.

Sagemont’s Ebony Griffin stole an inbound pass under the Miramar basket and laid it in with seven seconds remaining to make it a 55-52 game, but Miramar’s Shamauria Bridges, who finished with 22 points, then hit the second of two free-throw attempts to make it a two-possession game and seal the deal.

Jinks had 14 points and 12 assists with two blocks, and Daniel had 14 points.

DAVID FURONES

Miramar 56, Sagemont 52 – MIR (14-1): Bridges 2, Jinks 14, Daniel 14, Lee 4, Green 2. SAG (7-3): Cole 12, Black 7, Rucker 9, Pierre 2, Griffin 9, Correa 13. Halftime: MIR 20-14. Three-pointers: Bridges 2, Rucker, Cole. Rebounds: Jinks 12. Assists: Bridges 4. Steals: Griffin 5. Blocks: Lee 3.

MORE BOYS BASKETBALL

Gulliver 62, Westminster 61 - GUL (8-1): Kadji 15, Ralat 14, Carreras 10, Lafuente 8, Beattie 8, Chasin7. Halftime: WES 39-26. Rebounds: Ralat 7. Assists: Chasin 4. Steals: Lafuente 5