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46 °F Forecast | Road Cams Wednesday, February 25, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend February 2, 2004 Hobbled Panther girls brace for 10th-ranked Black Tornado By TIM TROWER Mail Tribune Two elements that would come in handy for South Medford — post presence and depth — have taken a hit as the Panthers prepare to meet rival and front-running North Medford in Southern Oregon Conference girls basketball Tuesday. The two square off at 7 p.m. at North Medford. The Panthers’ leading scorer Marissa Towry, a 6-foot sophomore post, is expected to miss her third straight game after injurying an ankle in warm-ups last Tuesday. It’s hoped that she’ll be able to return for Friday’s game against Ashland, says coach Andrea Jaime. "We’re hobbled a bit," says Jaime, whose point guard, Kelsey Corbin, also turned an ankle a week ago but played through it, albeit, not at full strength, in 49-44 loss to Roseburg Friday. "But we have quality kids, and on a good day, they can play very well. I know they have it in them. One of these days, we’re going to put it all together, and Tuesday would be a nice day to have that happen." South dropped to 5-12 overall and 3-5 in the SOC with the loss to the Indians. Advertisement This will be the second meeting between North and South. In the first, the Black Tornado utilized its athleticism, relentless pressure and transition game to reel off a 77-52 victory. Tenth-ranked North, 14-4 overall and tied with Crater for first place in the SOC at 7-1, forced 25 turnovers in the first meeting and supplemented that with outstanding free throw shooting, hitting 77 percent (26-for-34). The flow of the game suited the Tornado. "We want to get people playing at a pace they’re not comfortable with," says North coach Tim Karrick. "It’s something we do in practice every day, get up and down the floor." North has height but not bulk in the middle. "It’s not like we can pound the ball inside," says Karrick. "We know we have to take advantage of our depth and quickness and speed." In the first meeting Mellisa Eastwold scored 21 points for North, but it’s notable that it was the first time a Tornado player topped 20 points. On a game-by-game basis, any of a handful of team members can lead the points parade. "That’s our MO," says Karrick. "If we rely on one or two people, we’re usually not that successful. But when we disperse the ball and look to score and attack, we’ve been pretty good." Caitlyn Seeley, in particular, performed well in those areas in a 54-42 win over Grants Pass Friday that ended the Cavers’ four-game winning streak. Michelle Westermann and Eastwold were the leading scorers at 13 points each, and Kailey Bostwick made four foul shots in the fourth quarter as North protected its lead. Though South is coming off a loss, it got a breakout performance from junior wing Katie Singler against Roseburg. She had 15 points and seven rebounds. "It’s the first game she’s really been a huge factor in as far as scoring," says Jaime. "That’s good to see. She’s struggled with her confidence, but (Friday) she shot the ball well, hit a couple of 3s and really played well. We need that kind of leadership from her." Especially in Towry’s absence. Brittany Farrer will be relied upon as the Panthers’ primary inside force. She scored 11 against Roseburg. Others who will be called upon are Casey Martin, who usually plays guard, Alyssa Watson and Laura Grant. Even against short-handed South, Karrick and Co. won’t take anything for granted. "South’s record doesn’t really indicate what a good basketball team they have," he says. "They’re usually a good second-half team, and we’re going to have all we can handle, that’s for sure. I think the thing we’ve realized in the SOC this year is that if you don’t come with everything you’ve got, you’re going to lose." Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! 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