GIRLS HOOPS: Panthers cruise by Storm in Eugene
Dec. 4—EUGENE — South Medford head coach Tom Cole has never shied away from putting together a difficult schedule.
That's what made the opening weekend in Eugene just that much more important for what is still to come for a Panthers' roster that includes six freshmen.
Getting the chance to use the entire roster for the second straight game, the South Medford girls recorded a 66-26 win over Class 5A Summit to wrap up play in the Luke Roth Showcase at Sheldon High School.
"Our youth showed today on the second end of a back-to-back and relatively early morning game," said Cole. "They were flat, but there was also some really great moments where you could just see the speed and the athleticism and the length that they possess athletically collectively. It just creates a lot of problems (for other teams)."
Oregon State-bound senior Donovyn Hunter led the Panthers (2-0) with 21 points, seven steals and four rebounds. Fellow senior Kendall Fealey also hit double digits for the second straight game, following up her 16-point night against Silverton with 14 points in the win over Summit (0-2).
Fealey also had three rebounds and four steals.
Tatum Schmerbach, the third of South's seniors, finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, while freshman Mayan Akpan pulled down 10 rebounds.
The Panthers led 41-14 at the half.
South recorded 23 steals as Summit had 25 turnovers on the day.
"We seem to be at least playing at a quicker pace than some other teams at this point," said Cole.
South, a state semifinalist last season, will depart Tuesday ahead of play at the 'Iolani Prep Classic in Honolulu. The Panthers will face Konawaena from Kealakekua, Hawaii, in Thursday's opening round.
The tournament also features Incarnate Word Academy of St. Louis, the No. 1-ranked team in the country by MaxPreps.
"From here, there's going to be some spikes in competition that, I think, continue to give us some opportunities to see some better groups," said Cole. "December is going to have some good matchups. ... The growing part will really come the rest of this month of December and we have some really tough matchups ahead."
SOUTH MEDFORD (66): Richardson 0, Taulani 2, Hunter 21, Young 7, S. Schmerbach 6, Ceron 4, Barlow 0, Howell 0, Akpan 0, T. Schmerbach 12, Fealey 14. Totals: 25 9-10 66.
SUMMIT (26): Durfee 2, Koehler 10, Rosen 0, Aunchman 1, Williams 9, Garcia 0, Coronado 0, Deke 0, MacCallum 4. Totals: 10 5-12 26.
South Medford19221510— 66
Summit410111— 26
3-point goals — South Medford 7 (Hunter 2, T. Schmerbach 2, Fealey 2, Young 1), Summit 1 (Williams 1).
GRANTS PASS 48, SOUTHRIDGE 34: At Grants Pass, Brooke Anderson scored 11 of her 19 points in the first half to lead Grants Pass' fast start in a win over Southridge at the Grants Pass Kick-Off Tournament.
Sophie Mock added nine points for the Cavers (3-0), who held a commanding 32-12 lead at the half.
Sara Mangan scored 11 points and hit three of Southridge's eight 3-pointers.
SOUTHRIDGE (34): Vera 0, Powers 2, Meek 6, Mangan 11, Loitz 3, Patel 0, Stellingwerf 6, Ramirez 2, Rauchholz 2, Peterson 2, Strayer 0, Barron 0. Totals: 15 2-4 34.
GRANTS PASS (48): Brandes 2, Kleiner 3, Anderson 19, Thompson 6, Bruner 3, K. Wakefield 0, Pastrell 2, Mock 9, Vainuku-Johnson 0, Jimenez 0, B, Wakefield 4, Hull 0. Totals: 20 4-6 48.
Southridge661012— 34
Grants Pass1517124— 48
3-point goals — Southridge 8 (Meek 3, Mangan 3, Loitz 1, Stellingwerf 1), Grants Pass 4 (Kleiner 1, Anderson 1, Mock 1, Jimenez 1).
EUREKA 40, CRATER 39: At Grants Pass, Crater had multiple chances to hit a game-winning basket in the closing seconds but couldn't convert after Eureka banked in a 3-pointer and suffered a close loss at the Grants Pass Tip-Off.
Crater (1-2) took a 39-37 lead on a basket in the paint by Lydia Traroe, but Eureka (5-1) saw Moriah Bowles give the Loggers the lead with her lone 3-pointer of the day. The Comets had two chances to convert before seeing the ball go out of bounds and then a third and final chance, but came up empty.
Sage Winslow led Crater with 18 points and six steals, while Traore pulled down seven rebounds.
Claire Maples led Eureka with 11 points.
CRATER (39): Gugliotta 2, S. Winslow 18, Gish 0, Vranes 0, Weaver 4, Dippel 3, Munroe 3, McCauley 4, A. Winslow 3, Traore 2, Idiart 0, Valencia 0. Totals: 16 4-14 39.
EUREKA (40): Morris 6, Gee 2, Bowles 5, Gaither 5, Napoleon 0, Maples 11, Poteet 2, Giacone 9. Totals: 12 13-24 40.
Crater1081011— 39
Eureka109813— 40
3-point goals — Crater 3 (Dippel 1, Munroe 1, S. Winslow 1), Eureka 3 (Bowles 1, Maples 2). Fouled out — Gugliotta, Traore.
REDMOND 63, EAGLE POINT 51: At Crook County, Kadence Lindstrom scored 15 points but Eagle Point was unable completely to dig itself out of an early hole to close out play at the Central Oregon Tip-Off.
The Eagles (1-1) also got 10 points from sophomore Thianna Deng-Gomez.
Jenna Gallacher scored 13 points to lead Redmond (1-1), which started quick in building a 21-8 lead after the first quarter.
EAGLE POINT (51): Dole 4, Schauffler 0, R. Baldwin 6, A. Baldwin 2, Hanan 2, Garlitz 7, Lindstrom 15, Ledbetter 5, Cabrera 0, Deng-Gomez 10. Totals: NA.
REDMOND (63): Vick 9, Castrow 3, R. Morris 7, Cheney 1, A. Morris 9, Stewart 1, Norton 6, Gallacher 13, Porter 3, Capps 11. Totals: NA.
Eagle Point821715— 51
Redmond21131415— 63
3-point goals — Eagle Point 2 (Garlitz 1, Lindstrom 1), Redmond 6 (Vick 2, A. Morris 1, Norton 1, Porter 1, Capps 1).
CASCADE CHRISTIAN 46, ETNA 35: At Yreka, Calif., Jordynn Jones and Timnah Roberson combined for 33 points to lead Cascade Christian to its first win of the season at the Yreka Tournament.
Jones filled up the stat sheet with 17 points, six rebounds, seven steals and five assists. Roberson scored 16 points while recording three steals, four assists and a pair of blocks.
Roberson also made four of the Challengers' five 3-pointers against Etna (1-3).
Cascade Christian (1-1) trailed by one, 18-17, at the half before outscoring Etna 16-5 in the third quarter to take the lead for good.
CASCADE CHRISTIAN (46): Lane 0, Ferreira 0, Follin 2, Coats 2, Jones 17, Roberson 16, Arce 4, McCauley 5, Haley 0. Totals: 17 7-8 46.
ETNA (35): Walker 2, Finley 15, Justice 2, Houston 2, Thackeray 6, Hubbard 8. Totals: 16 3-10 35.
Cascade Christian1341613— 46
Etna126512— 35
3-point goals — Cascade Christian 5 (Roberson 4, Jones 1).
