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GIRLS HOOPS: Minus 2 starters, No. 4 South carries on By Mail Tribune staff Updated: Dec 17, 2022 08:39 PM A A CORVALLIS — As a basketball coach, you never want to have to deal without having your star player on the court. But it’s nice to know that you can should the time arise. With rampant sickness going through the South Medford girls basketball program, the Panthers played without Oregon State-bound Donovyn Hunter and didn’t let that affect them as they scored a hard-fought 58-49 win over reigning Class 5A state champion Crescent Valley on Saturday. Fourth-ranked South Medford (6-1) was already minus senior starter Kendall Fealey and a couple helpful reserves but saw senior guard Tatum Schmerbach step up to lead three Panthers in double figures with 19 points. “It’s a good opportunity for the team to learn how to play without two starters,” said Panthers head coach Tom Cole. “Going into this weekend, Kendall was averaging double figures, too, so you lose her and Donovyn and that’s a lot of production. I thought the other kids kind of stepped up and filled that void.” Freshman Taylor Young contributed eight of her 17 points in the first quarter to help get South Medford off to a fast start, up 17-9, and sophomore Sara Schmerbach added 15 points to deny an upset bid by top-ranked Crescent Valley (4-1). Tatum Schmerbach added six rebounds and three assists, Young had five steals and Sara Schmerbach finished with seven steals and six rebounds. Kim Ceron also added seven rebounds. Crescent Valley was able to answer South’s early run with one of its own in the second quarter and took the lead at one points in the third quarter but freshman Elise Richardson hit a key 3-pointer at the end of the frame and forced an early turnover in the fourth to help the Panthers regain momentum. Gabby Bland scored 25 points to lead the Raiders. SOUTH MEDFORD (58): Richardson 3, Taulani 0, Young 17, S. Schmerbach 15, Ceron 2, Howell 2, Akpan 0, T. Schmerbach 19. Totals: 26 4-7 58. CRESCENT VALLEY (49): G. Bland 25, Koegler 0, H. Bland 11, Buforrd 4, Huang 5, Campbell 2, Painter 2. Totals: 16 12-18 49. South Medford1791715— 58 Crescent Valley916159— 49 3-point goals — South Medford 2 (Richardson 1, T. Schmerbach 1), Crescent Valley 5 (G. Bland 2, H. Bland 3). Fouled out — Howell. LINCOLN 45, NORTH MEDFORD 38: At Lake Oswego, North Medford was able to build an early 10-point lead but couldn’t hold on against Lincoln in the opening round of the Nike Interstate Shootout at Lake Oswego High School. Sophomore wing Caileigh Raines recorded a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds to go with a block and two steals, while senior Margaret Hamlin had 12 points and four rebounds. Point guard Ali Stevens pulled down 15 rebounds and Olivia Boger had four rebounds and a pair of steals for North (1-3). Freshman Frances Reuland scored 12 points to lead Lincoln (1-3), which connected on nine 3-pointers among the Cardinals’ 15 field goals. NORTH MEDFORD (38): Raines 16, Hamlin 12, Boger 6, Stevens 3, Lane 1, Brownlee 0, Jackson 0, Taylor 0, Patel 0, Hesse 0. Totals: 13 10-15 38. LINCOLN (45): Reuland 12, Nitta 8, Cowlishaw 6, Kubiaczyk 6, Modha 6, Miller 5, Conour 2. Totals: 15 6-10 45. North Medford134714— 38 Lincoln3111912— 45 3-point goals — North Medford 2 (Raines 2), Lincoln 9 (Modha 2, Reuland 1, Nitta 2, Kubiaczyk 2, Cowlishaw 2). Basketball hoop with ball inside top view