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47 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, January 24, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds 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 Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 11, 2004 Surging South girls conquer Mountain View By DON HUNT Mail Tribune It doesn’t have a true point guard and it lacks quickness, but the South Medford High girls basketball team just might surprise people this season. The Panthers, who started the season 0-2, won their second straight game with a 60-46 nonconference victory over Mountain View Friday night in the South gym. Junior post Marissa Towry contributed 13 points and four rebounds and senior post Brittany Farrer had 12 points and nine boards for the Panthers. The 1-2 punch around the basket figures to serve South Medford well this season, but the team’s key to success is at point guard, where converted forward Katie Singler assumed the duties in the second half of the Panthers’ 78-73 loss to North Eugene on Dec. 4. A four-year varsity performer, Singler’s steadying influence has helped the team cut back on turnovers and ratchet up its confidence. Advertisement "I’ve never been all that comfortable handling the ball but now that I’m having to play point guard I actually enjoy it," said Singler, who scored only four points Friday but dished out six assists and swiped two steals. "I like calling the plays and running the offense. "I’m not scoring like I did when I was playing the wing but that’s OK — I’ll do whatever it takes for this team to win." Along with Singler’s leadership and its power up front, South Medford’s other main asset is its depth. Head coach Andrea Jaime routinely subs in four players at a time. The first wave of new faces hit the court just three minutes into Friday’s game and they immediately had an impact as freshman Shanae Coker and junior Breanna Banuelos drilled 3-point baskets less than one minute apart, turning a 4-3 South Medford deficit into a 9-4 lead. The Panthers extended their advantage to 14-8 after one period and to 29-17 at halftime. The fresh bodies also helped South Medford tighten the screws on a relentless fullcourt press that forced 24 Mountain View turnovers. On four separate occasions, the Cougars failed to get the ball beyond halfcourt in the required 10 seconds. "Even though we’re not a real quick team we’re able to wear teams down with our press because we’ve always got fresh kids in there," said Jamie. "The girls did a great job of getting in the right positions to steal the ball and force turnovers." South Medford twice extended its lead to 15 points in the third period and threatened to turn the game into a rout. However, Mountain View senior wing Nerea Hofman, who led all scorers with 17 points, sparked a 13-5 Mountain View run late in the period with a series of driving layups that pulled the Cougars within 40-33. South Medford was in serious need of a lift at that point and they got one from Towry, who hit a 10-foot jumper and a 7-foot hook over the final 27 seconds of the quarter that padded the Panthers’ edge to 44-33. "Those were big baskets," said Jamie. "We had lost our momentum and we needed someone to step up. This is the best Towry has played all season." Towry also made a nifty reverse layup and an ensuing free throw after getting fouled on the play in the fourth quarter. The three-point play the old-fashioned way gave South Medford a 16-point lead, its biggest of the night. South Medford sank 13 of 15 free throws in the second half (and 15 of 21 for the game) to keep Mountain View at bay. The Panthers were 21 of 47 from the field. MOUNTAIN VIEW (46) — N. Hoffman 17, Heacock 8, MacRitchie 6, Hickey 6, M. Hoffman 5, Gutierrez 3, King 1, Shine 0, Saye 0. Totals 18 8-14 46. SOUTH MEDFORD (60) — Towry 13, Farrer 12, Banuelos 9, Martin 6, Grant 6, Coker 5, Singler 4, Watson 3, Glover 2. Totals: 21-47 15-21 60. Mountain View..........................8 9 16 13 — 46 South Medford......................14 15 15 16 — 60 3-point goals — Mountain View 2 (Gutierrez 1, N. Hoffman 1), South Medford 3 (Coker 1, Martin 1, Banuelos 1). Fouled out — N. Hoffman. JV score — South Medford 38, Mountain View 37. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, 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 © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. 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