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Grizz boys in process of turning things around Commentary by Joe Zavala If you took a picture, make doubles. If you filmed it, tear off the tab. The Ashland High boys basketball team was cooking up an upset, but instead got history in the baking. Perhaps for the last time. In a beating of historical proportions - and by historical, I mean one year - the Grizzlies were ambushed by an outstanding South Medford team last Friday, 83-49. It was ugly and it was embarrassing, but Grizzly fans can rejoice in the fact that it was the first such whipping laid upon Ashland so far this season. And while that may not sound too comforting now, it was worth a victory parade and maybe even a riot 11 short months ago. If you remember right, that's approximately when the Grizzlies secured their perpetual stranglehold on last place in the Southern Oregon Conference standings � again. They finished 1-13 in the SOC (5-18 overall) last year, which was highlighted by the team's first league win in nearly two years. The year before, they were even worse while finishing winless in league play. Players and coaches alike talked about turning the program around before the 2001-02 campaign, so when they did so again prior to this one few outside the program took them seriously. Until now. Heading into tonight's home clash with Roseburg, the Grizzlies are 10-9 overall and 3-6 in the SOC. That eclipses Ashland's conference victory total over the previous two years and doubles its total victory output from a year ago - and there's five games left in the season. Still, those numbers don't do justice to the turnaround. Even a bad team can get lucky a few times and end up with a better record than it deserves, but that's not what's happening here. The Grizzlies have looked organized and well prepared for every opponent they've faced this season, and could easily be 5-4 in league play. Against Grants Pass, one of the best teams in the state, Ashland battled back from a double-digit first-half deficit to tie the game in the third quarter. Against Crater, the Grizzlies fought back from 21 down to take a two-point lead, only to lose in the final moments. And against North Medford, Ashland was down by one and had possession with under two minutes left, but couldn't finish. The above examples represent something fans around here have seen only at McNeal Pavilion: competitive male basketball games. There are several reasons for the team's striking improvement - better guard play, a pressing defense and huge contributions by posts Clint Bryan and Chris Mackovjak - but one towers above the rest: Rick Cornelius. The cerebral first-year coach has taken a team with no true point guard, no true post (Bryan is listed at 5-11 and Mackovjak 6-4) and a losing tradition and has led it to an above .500 record through its first 19 games and within striking distance of its first playoff berth since 1991. If Cornelius doesn't win the SOC Coach of the Year award in a landslide, I don't know what the award stands for. He's completely altered the range of expectations within the program. This fact is best illustrated after losses. The Grizz locker room following a loss this season is filled first with disgust, then with problem solving. Last year there was acceptance, and little else. This season, the team believes it can win. Last season, it believed ... something, but we're not sure what. This season, the Grizzlies' goal on offense is to move the ball and find the open man. Last season, the goal was to get the ball past midcourt. Fans are uncovering their eyes and watching, and they like what they see. So if you were one of those fans at South Medford High on Friday, avoid the temptation to forget about it. Log away the 49-24 halftime deficit. Remember those creative chants by the South Medford fans - "It's all over," "this is boring" and especially "where's the boys team." And most importantly, save that image of Panther wing Spencer Hunter holding his hand in the air just so after sinking a 3-pointer with 5:34 left in the game to give his team a 78-37 lead. Such is the pain of a losing program with no hope of turning things around. Those days are over. Joe Zavala is sports editor of the Tidings LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -