Missoula's Tinkle becomes first Montana player in McDonalds game

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP)

North Carolina-bound Tierra Ruffin- Pratt scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to earn co-MVP honors as she led the West over the East, 69-68 in the eighth annual girls McDonald's All-American game. Missoula Big Sky senior Joslyn Tinkle played on the East squad as the first Montanan to receive a McDonald's All-America invitation. Tennessee recruit Taber Spani and future USC Trojan Christina Marinacci each scored 11 points for the West. Future California teammates DeNesha Stallworth (11) and Gennifer Brandon (10) also were in double figures for the West, which is 6-2 all-time against the East. "It was difficult because coming in, we thought they had all the bigs on their side so us guards came out pushing the ball up and down the court," Ruffin-Pratt said. Skylar Diggins, who is headed to Notre Dame, scored a game-high 18 points for the East in a losing effort sharing the MVP honors with Ruffin- Pratt. The East pulled within 67-66 with 55. 9 seconds left after a three-point play by Diggins. "We were looking to come back," Diggins said. "We felt like we were still in it." Brandon made a layup with 12.3 seconds left to stretch the lead to 69-66. Kelly Faris, a Connecticut recruit, was fouled with a second left on a 3-point attempt. After knocking down the first two free throws, she missed the last one giving the West the win. Kelsey Bone and TaShauna Rodgers each scored 10 points for the East. Bone, the McDonald All American Female Player of the Year, announced during the first half that she will be attending South Carolina . The 6-foot-5 center averaged 20 points and nine rebounds during her senior year at Dulles High School in Texas. "I was really excited about the direction of their program," said Bone, who picked the Gamecocks over Texas A&M, Texas, and Illinois. "I know no one expected me to do this, but that the way the cookie crumbles." Tinkle has signed a letter of intent to play at Stanford next season. She scored seven points and made a 3-pointer. In the boys game later in Miami, the East beat the West 113-110.