The rest of the SOC is wide open - January 6, 2003

Document text

OVERCAST Temp: 51 °F Wind: WNW at 7 mph Wednesday, February 19, 2003  SECTIONS   Home Page  Local News   Sports  Business  Obituaries  Life  Opinion - Politics  AP News  Weather  Classified  Archives  Site Map  EXTRA   HomeLife Magazine   W3 Magazine   Jobs @ Mail Tribune   Tempo A & E   Oregon CarZone   Wellness Connection  Real Estate  Newspaper in Education  Prime Times  Outdoor Journal  Personals  Movie Times  TV Times   E The People  CLASSIFIEDS  Find a Car  Find a Home  Find a Job  Find Everything  E SOUTHERN OREGON  Automotive  Communities  Entertainment  Publications  Recreation  Calendar  ABOUT US  FAQ  What's New  Advertise  Home Delivery  Classified Ad  Contact Us  Media Kit Email Story to a Friend January 6, 2003 The rest of the SOC is wide open By KRIS HENRY Mail Tribune While the battle for a Southern Oregon Conference boys basketball title will obviously be the featured race this season, the race for the other three playoff berths will also draw a lot of attention. South Medford is the near-unanimous pick to win the SOC, but little else is that uniform in what stands to be a wide-open playoff race in 2002-03. "You can make a case for every team in the league making the playoffs," says Grants Pass coach Bill Cowell, "and you haven’t been able to say that the last couple years. This year should be exciting." Cowell’s Cavemen are the top threats to South’s supremacy, if only because Grants Pass returns 6-foot-6 standout Kory Mahr. "At least at this point, until we play the whole thing out, he’s the best player in the league," South coach Dennis Murphy says of Mahr, a member of the SOC’s all-defensive team last year. Mahr played steady up to last year’s state tournament, then took his game up a couple notches in guiding Grants Pass to a fourth-place finish. "He’s always had pretty good moves around the basket," says Cowell, "but he’s just been limited in his touches." That won’t be an issue this season for Mahr, who is joined by 6-2 wing Mark Heater as the only Cavemen with varsity experience heading into the season. But even with the league’s marquee player, Grants Pass isn’t a sure bet to make the playoffs. Klamath Union, North Medford and Roseburg are expected to be right on the heels of the Cavemen. The Pelicans tied for the fourth and final playoff spot last year, only to lose to Crater in a game to determine which team would advance. The core group of that KU team returns in senior Zach Tucker (6-5) and juniors Jacob Wynn (6-3) and Will Sargent (6-8). Like many teams, the Pels also plan to take advantage of one thing missing from the SOC this season, a dominant inside force. "We couldn’t really get the ball inside last year," says fifth-year KU coach Bret Crawford. "The league had big, tall kids like Joe Newton, Eric Fiegi, Brennan Garrelts, and they just wouldn’t let us get in there. There’s nobody like that this year." North Medford boasts one of the top inside threats in the league in 6-4 junior Ryan Lucas, but the Black Tornado will also be among the SOC’s most athletic squads with the likes of Beau Hovland, Brett Timmerman and Brian Clifton scurrying about the court. Roseburg may have been hit the hardest with the departures of Newton, Garrelts, et. al, but the Indians have discovered new stars in Josh Pust and Daniel Jeremiah. Pust, a 6-2 senior wing, has been downright deadly from the outside and will be called upon for more of the same in the SOC season. Jeremiah, a 6-0 junior, has also displayed a deft touch in helping the Indians become one of the more dangerous long-range squads in the conference. Eagle Point’s senior-dominated team is led by all-SOC performer Tim Martinen, who will be asked to distribute the ball a little more than last year’s one-on-one efforts. His prime targets when not attacking the basket will be in the front court, led by lanky 6-7 senior Cole Brown and 6-3 LaPine transfer Mike Bergseng. Crater’s fortunes will once again rest with 6-4 senior post Andrew Norum and the ability of the young Comets to challenge at the varsity level, while the presence of high-scoring guard Bryan Clevenger makes Ashland dangerous each night out. Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version   Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search M Mail Tribune Home Local News  | Sports  | Business  | Obituaries  | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives  |  Site Map   E Southern Oregon  | Classified   Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy web master feedback A D V E R T I S E R S