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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories White City firm probed for alleged 'scam' Get Up & Go: Nov. 16 Where to get help From loss, comes healing Emergency services Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services Woman in critical condition after being struck by car in Medford Emergency services Wrap Up: Phillips homicide Brookings man gets federal prison time for gun crime Politics and Elections Latest count shows Measure 92 supporters narrowing deficit Granlund cartoon: GOP wrecking balls Ballot measures played little role in mobilizing voters in state Senate race 'Euphoria' over pot initiative Oregon voters narrowly reject GMO labeling measure Education Good news for SOU: Enrollment's up Mom gives school lobby a makeover Crater students present play about Thoreau's night in jail Half of Oregon's community college enrollees need remedial classes Marketta Gregory: Stretch yourself for God Environment Birders sought for bird counts Grow 'em before you plant 'em Since You Asked: Biomass One makes steam-generated power Organic squash creates a bountiful harvest for ACCESS Prospect-area cow death likely not a wolf kill State News Kitzhaber embattled as he seeks fourth term Nation - World Obituaries Brian Basler Mullen Helen Marie Anderson Marie Louise T. 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Ride & Drive: 2015 Ford Expedition Family time turns into shopping time Pacific Power girds for winter woes Real Estate News Financial webinars offered for veterans and their families Home prices rise across Jackson County New I-5 interchange puts south Medford on fast lane to fast food People In Business People in Business, Nov. 8 Transportation Medford airport passenger counts sky high in October Erickson reports third quarter profit Lithia reports $34.5 million third-quarter profit Agriculture Latest count shows Measure 92 supporters narrowing deficit Revenue rises for Harry & David's parent company Where do all those leaves go? Opinion Latest Our View: Wyden's O&C bill may be the answer, or not Letters to the Editor, Nov. 16 Dana Milbank: Nancy Pelosi in denial Charles Krauthammer: The Gruber confession George Will: Adolf Eichmann's warped idealism Editorials Our View: Wyden's O&C bill may be the answer, or not Other Views: A chastened Kitzhaber must tend to business Our View: Cheers and Jeers Our view: Saigo brings an energy to SOU campus Our View: Zoning, building codes should respect fire Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Nov. 16 Letters to the Editor, Nov. 14 Letters to the editor Letters to the Editor, Nov. 12 Letters to the Editor, Nov. 11 Guest Opinions Reflections on the election in Oregon and beyond Measure 89 provides equality for women Eagle Point needs public transportation Guest Opinion: Common Core testing sets math students up for failure Guest Opinion: Campaigning and voting 'the Oregon way' Lifestyle Latest stories Colors of Fall Moth Munch Too bad Hooter can't talk Here's a hand up you can use Success of the starling Food Community blog: Pumpkin, salted caramel pair tradition, trendiness Joanna McQuillan Weeks: Jessica Fisher creates frugal, fabulous recipes Rogue-style Thanksgiving An advanced lesson in homemade mustards Community blog: Egg-rich flan is a stunner for holiday spreads Home and Garden Beyond curb appeal: When it pays to stand out Use the hidden meaning of color to enhance your home 17 things you never knew about turkeys Dear Monty: 10 tips toward a quality offer on a home How to live and work in a tiny home Health Here's a hand up you can use Community blog: Happy Holidays? Surviving and Even Thriving in the Dark Times Dr. Murray Feingold: ‘Grief is the price we pay for love’ Health Watch: Tips for post-workout recovery Community blog: Don't Fall For This Hiking Biking Faith Religion news: Seattle-based mega-church dissolves Religion Briefs 'Walk the talk' Religion briefs Christ Unity Church shows 'Gen Silent' Milestones and Achievements Ashland honey festival draws swarm of visitors Fundraiser to benefit Medford Senior Center New Arrivals The meaning behind Veterans Day Wedding: Broten-Garrett Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Thanksgiving comes early at Taprock Youth Symphony of Southern Oregon to perform two shows 'Alice in Wonderland' opens at Theatre Convivio 'Red Noses' a romp through slapstick and pathos Hawaiian slack-key guitarist Makana plays the Unitarian Theater 'Red Noses' a romp through slapstick and pathos SOU presents 'The Drunken City' The power of human spirit Review: Funny 'Lion in Winter' roars to life at Camelot Theatre Music Youth Symphony of Southern Oregon to perform two shows The Farr Side: CMA telecast was a disappointment Hawaiian slack-key guitarist Makana plays the Unitarian Rogue World Ensemble presents 'Gather 'Round' Focus on Tanya Gabrielian as Rogue Valley Symphony evokes the Baroque Community Events Review: Randall Theatre's 'Secret Garden' still enchanting Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Spookadelic Halloween Funktacular promises a lively dance party Puss 'N' Boots Costume Ball and Auction Dining Thanksgiving comes early at Taprock Word of Mouth: Brunch at Brothers' Restaurant Blue Toba is a cultural experience Back Porch Bar & Grill Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Our View: Wyden's O&C bill may be the answer, or not ... A different kind of fish feed ... Detours planned while beams placed at new Phoenix exit ... Our View: Wyden's O&C bill may be the answer, or not ... A different kind of fish feed ... Detours planned while beams placed at new Phoenix exit ... PREP BASKETBALL There's a new Kobe in LA, but he's only 15 By Eric Sondheimer Los Angeles Times MailTribune.com By Eric Sondheimer Los Angeles Times Posted Oct. 21, 2014 @ 2:00 am By Eric Sondheimer Los Angeles Times Posted Oct. 21, 2014 @ 2:00 am » Social News Don’t be surprised if Filipino flags are being waved en masse this winter in the gym at Los Angeles Cathedral High. There are more than 375,000 Filipinos living in Los Angeles County, and a 17-year-old basketball prodigy with more than 50,000 Twitter and 67,000 Instagram followers is set to make his high school debut in the United States. Kobe Paras is no ordinary foreign exchange student. As a 15-year-old in 2013, Paras participated in a Nike exhibition in Manila, and with LeBron James on the court, Paras dunked. That moment was captured on video, and in the era of YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, Paras’ life changed. “They’re calling me the kid who dunked on LeBron,” Paras recalled. Last week, UCLA Coach Steve Alford showed up at Cathedral to watch Paras practice and ended up making a scholarship offer. On Saturday, Paras committed to the Bruins. In 24 hours, he picked up 1,000 more Twitter followers. “Pinoys in L.A. will go nuts to see Kobe as a Bruin,” said TJ Manotoc, a sports broadcaster for ABS-CBN in the Philippines. In the Philippines, Paras and his family were celebrities long before his LeBron moment. His father, Benjie, in 1989 became the only player in the history of the country’s professional basketball league to be the rookie of the year and the MVP in the same season. He became an actor and businessman. Paras’ brother, Andre, also plays basketball and went into acting. Then it was decided Paras, who was named after the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, should come to Los Angeles to prepare for college and see if he was good enough to earn a college basketball scholarship. He’s living with a host family. “I always remind him to continue working hard and to focus on his studies,” his father told Philstar.com on Friday. With his youthful looks and willingness to be playful and entertain fans through postings on Instagram and Twitter, Paras has a gained a large following among teenage girls in the Philippines. Whenever Paras does just about anything noteworthy, Filipino media report it. “I liken him in his country to what LeBron was here” as a high school star, Cathedral coach William Middlebrooks said. Paras is 6-foot-6. He was a center in his country, but he was playing guard last summer for a travel team in Southern California and picked up scholarship offers from Arizona State, California, Fresno State, UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine even though he’s going into his junior year. Then UCLA entered the picture. “While all of this is new to me, I realize that I can only go to one college, so I felt it was not necessary to continue the recruitment process with so many very good schools and coaches already at the table,” Paras said in a statement released by Cathedral. “Most know him for his dunking, but he can shoot the 3, dribbles and passes,” Middlebrooks said. “He’s highly skilled and is adapting to the style of play in America.” Clearly, Paras’ leaping ability will make him a crowd favorite this season. He hasn’t measured his vertical leap, but it’s so explosive that you can count on Cathedral statisticians to start keeping track of dunks. There’s little doubt the attention he received for his LeBron moment had a huge influence. “He was my idol since I was a kid, and getting to do that with him is something that changed something in me big time,” Paras said. Of course, basketball is more than just dunking, and the focus on Paras’ dunks takes away from his other strengths. He really is a terrific shooter and his work ethic is outstanding. “I want to show everybody it’s not all about dunking or highlights,” he said. “It’s about what you do on the court.” But asked if he likes to dunk, Paras smiles and says, “Yes, I do.” Paras has earned a reputation at Cathedral for being a polite, well-mannered, humble student. Seeing him walk around campus with other students provides no clue that in the Philippines he is a media sensation. “How good that is I don’t know because he’s still a kid, but that’s his life at this point,” Middlebrooks said. According to Manotoc, the combination of Filipinos’ love for basketball and Paras’ family connections and success has led to much attention. A video of Paras winning a FIBA dunk contest has more than 1.5 million views on YouTube. “Basketball is a religion here,” Manotoc said. “The only time kids on the street don’t play ball is when Manny Pacquiao has a fight.” Rarely do homegrown Filipinos receive scholarships to NCAA schools, which means Paras is going to be followed even more closely. For now, Paras will try to show that he has skills beyond dunking. But when he soars through the air and jams the ball through the net, the excitement he generates is likely to prompt more than just Filipino fans to rise to their feet. Los Angeles now has more than one basketball player named Kobe with star power. By Eric Sondheimer Los Angeles Times MailTribune.com By Eric Sondheimer Los Angeles Times Posted Oct. 21, 2014 @ 2:00 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. fantasy football Ryan Mathews Is a Fantasy Must-Start in Anticipated Week 11 Return Nov. 15, 2014 at 11:59 pm Examining Tough Fantasy Lineup Decisions for Slumping Stars Nov. 15, 2014 at 4:26 pm Will Risky Fantasy Moves Pay Off? 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