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Panthers roar past North Eugene Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli South Medford's Kirsten Gillingham, right, shoots over North Eugene's Ashley Ficek. Freshman wing Katie Singler leads the way as South Medford wins its second straight game in as many days By Don Hunt Mail Tribune Don't look now, but the South Medford High girls basketball team is back to its old tricks. Freshman wing Katie Singler led four players in double figures with 19 points as the Panthers roared past North Eugene, 77-53, Saturday at the South gym. The victory was the second in as many days for the Panthers, now 2-3. "I think we really jelled as a team today," South Medford coach Andrea Jaime said. "We got the ball to the open player on offense, and defensively, we showed some intensity." The Panthers lost four starters off last season's team that finished second in the Southern Oregon Conference and advanced to the Class 4A state tournament, but the new group has some talent of its own. And at the ripe old age of 15, Singler is already playing like a veteran. She has been in double figures in all five of South Medford's games, and Saturday she added nine rebounds and four assists to her ledger. "I'm feeling more and more confident with each game," said Singler, a 5-foot-7 wing who finished her day by making a left-handed hook shot. "The other girls have been really supportive, and that's helped me to adjust. "I think we all had a lot of fun out there today." Junior post Kirsten Gillingham added 17 points and nine rebounds, senior point guard Whitney Grant contributed 13 points, 10 assists and five steals, junior wing Angela Ingram came off the bench to tally a season-high 10 points and junior wing Natasha Wright had nine points, nine steals and five assists. North Eugene's Mollie Williams led all scorers with 22. "We've got a lot of people on this team that can shoot the ball - four players in double figures tells you that," said Grant, the lone returning starter from a year ago. "It's great to have that kind of balance because if someone is having an off night someone else is there to pick us up. And it makes us harder to defend." Jaime has made two changes within the past 10 days, moving the 5-11 Gillingham from wing to post and then inserting Singler into the starting lineup. Gillingham has responded with a pair of double-doubles, and she came within one rebound of another on Saturday. "I've always been a wing, and at first I hated being moved," Gillingham admitted. "But I'm getting more playing time and it's working out well for the team. "I'm able to outquick a lot of the people guarding me, and none of them think I can shoot from the outside." Singler hit a short baseline jumper and completed a 3-point play in the game's opening two minutes as South Medford shot to a 5-0 lead. The Panthers led 13-8 after one period and then slapped on a full-court press that fueled a 22-10 run and a 35-18 lead with 1:16 remaining in the first half. Williams scored the final four points of the half on a 15-foot jumper and a textbook crossover move that sliced South's lead to 35-22 at the intermission. But the Panthers exploded for eight straight points to start the third period as the differential swelled to 43-22, and they ultimately led by as many as 28 points, 56-28, when reserve post Jennie Brennan hit a rebound basket with 1:37 to play in the period. Jaime liked two team statistics in particular: the Panthers' 21 assists (out of 28 field goals) and their 21-of-29 performance from the free-throw line. South Medford opens league play Friday at Ashland. "I feel a lot better about where we're at now than I did going into the weekend," Jaime said. "We've still got some things to work on, but we've come a long way in a short amount of time." NORTH EUGENE (53) - Williams 22, Ficek 10, Johnson 10, Barton 6, Fortier 5, Langendoerfer 0, Likens 0. Totals: 22 8-16 53. SOUTH MEDFORD (77) - Singler 19, Gillingham 17, Grant 13, Ingram 10, Wright 9, Brennan 6, Silva 2, Magness 1, Mueller 0, Carlton 0. Totals: 28 21-29 77. North Eugene......................................... 8 14 12 19 - 53 South Medford...................................... 13 22 21 19 - 77 3-point goals - North Eugene 1 (Fortier 1). JV score - South Medford won. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.