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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend January 24, 2006 Panthers overcame obstacles to beat Demos Prep Notebook By DON HUNT Mail Tribune A 275-mile bus trip. A game the previous night. Their biggest star incurring foul trouble in the first half. And 21 missed free throws. Those are major obstacles for a high school basketball team to overcome, but top-ranked South Medford leaped over them like a world-class hurdler Saturday. Advertisement Before a packed house of about 1,500 at Jefferson High in Portland, the Panthers received double-doubles from their tall and talented front line to post an 80-69 victory over the No. 3 Democrats. There’s a growing feeling that this Panther team, now 14-1, might be the best that coach Dennis Murphy has put on the floor in his 18 seasons leading the program. "That team they had two years ago (with first-team all-state center Craig Johnson and third-team all-state guard Ryan Fiegi leading the way) was awfully good, but I think this team is better defensively," says Eagle Point coach Keith Williams, who watched South Medford drub his Eagles 83-34 last Tuesday. "And I think it comes down to intensity. That team two years ago had a lot of confidence they were going to outscore you, but they didn’t work as hard to shut you down. Their guys this year want to dominate you in every phase of the game." South Medford defeated Ashland, 78-35, on Friday night, then caught a bus early Saturday for the trip north. Most of the players slept all the way to Eugene, Murphy says. The team stopped and had a shoot-around at a recreation center adjacent to Mac Court on the University of Oregon campus. Once in Portland, they had dinner prior to the game. "We broke the trip up," Murphy says. "The kids got to sleep for half of it, got in a little workout and then had dinner. "People talk about getting dead legs and how that affects your play, but we weren’t going to use that as an excuse. These are 16-, 17- and 18- year-old kids in the best shape of their lives." Murphy paused, then smiled. "We scored 28 points (against Jefferson) in the fourth quarter," he says. "I didn’t see any heavy legs." Murphy told his team in practice last week that it would overcome the challenges of the trip. What he couldn’t foresee was Kyle Singler, his 6-foot- 8 Division I recruit, having to sit out the final 5:56 of the first half saddled with three fouls. Nor could he envision his squad, which entered the contest shooting 74 percent from the line, connecting on just 47.5 percent (19 of 40) against the Democrats. And yet the Panthers overcame both impediments — along with 24 turnovers — to beat a good team on the road by 11. South Medford’s formula for success was its suffocating defense and a 47-25 advantage on the boards. Strong forward Kendall Gielow (23 points, 11 rebounds), center Brent Johnson (19 points, 13 rebounds) and small forward Singler (18 points, 16 boards) all registered double-doubles. "When Singler got in foul trouble, the other guys kicked it up a notch," said Johnson, a 6-7, 230-pound senior who might be the most underrated big man in the state. "We’re not a one-man team." Johnson held Markhuri Sanders-Frison, Jefferson’s 6-8 center, scoreless. Sanders-Frison fouled out with 7:06 remaining in the game. Earlier this season, Johnson held Andy Poling, Westview’s 6-11 sophomore Division I recruit, to seven points and Grants Pass star Jason Nunnemaker to eight. "I have a goal of holding these guys to less than 10 points," Johnson says. "I figure if I do that, then we’ve got a good chance to win." South Medford has played its toughest schedule in school history. It won the Red Bluff (Calif.) Holiday Classic for the first time, took three of four games at the prestigious Les Schwab Invitational in Hillsboro and knocked off a traditional power — Jefferson — on the road. The Panthers may not face a stern test now until the state tournament in March, but road games tonight at Roseburg and Feb. 7 in Grants Pass are never automatic. "For lack of a better term, it looks like they’re on a mission," says Williams, the Eagle Point coach. "I think they’re tired of hearing how good (South Medford) teams are but can never win the big one at state. They’re dedicated to changing that perception." JEFFERSON HAS a reputation of being a tough place to play, but the Democrats’ student section didn’t yell any negative chants or taunt the South players, Murphy said, adding that the school was a gracious host. "It wasn’t a hostile environment," Murphy said. "The crowds at our place are nosier." IF YOU’RE A wrestling fan, mark Saturday, March 11 on your calendar. State high school champions from Oregon and California will square off that day at Southern Oregon University for the second annual Ore-Cal all-star meet. The dual meet will kick off at 6 p.m. Former Olympian Les Gutches, who starred at South Medford High and Oregon State, will conduct a three-hour clinic beginning at 10 a.m. Last year’s inaugural event was held at Shasta Community College in Redding, Calif. "It’s a great show," says Phoenix High coach and meet co-director Harry Mondale. "Last year we got 90 percent of the state champions to compete." Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail Panthers overcame obstacles to beat Demos ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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