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South stumbles at home photo by Andrew Mariman South Medford coach Andrea Wegner Panthers falter as Roseburg prevails 53-45 By Greg Stiles What was a temple of doom for Southern Oregon Conference opponents a year ago has become the urgent care center for teams needing to get well. The South Medford Panthers were 7-0 at home last season against the SOC, including a 59-53 victory over state runner-up Crater. But after Tuesday night�s 53-45 loss to the Roseburg Indians, the Panthers (5-7, 1-2 SOC) are 0-2 at home in conference play. "We have to be more consistent," South coach Andrea Wegner said. "We play well for a couple of games and then don�t play well for a couple of games." Unfortunately, the bad outings have come at inopportune times. On the heels of a stunning season-opening loss to Grants Pass, Ashland outran the Panthers 62-47 on Dec. 15. Roseburg (7-6, 2-1 SOC) was hampered by an ankle injury to senior point guard Erin Goodell in its first two conference games and missed 6-foot-1 senior post Sarah Gilding because of back trouble for most of December. Both were in fine form Tuesday as the Indians outscored South 21-9 in the fourth quarter to remain in second place along with Ashland and Grants Pass. "To come out on a foreign floor and get a win means a lot to these girls," said veteran Roseburg coach John Thomas. Junior Lindsey Heard scored 18 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and tacked on six assists, while Gilding added 12 points � nine in the fourth quarter � for the Indians. Ultimately, Roseburg�s height advantage and South�s turnovers did in the Panthers, who led 36-32 after three quarters. The Indians were 5-for-17 in the third quarter against the Panthers� zone, but quickly found the range when South reverted to a man-to-man. Once Heard, a 6-1 guard, started lobbing passes to Gilding in the fourth period, the Panthers had no answers. Heard drained a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter then hit Gilding with back-to-back lobs as the Tribe scored seven straight points to take the lead for good, 39-36. South�s Amber Hunt traded baskets with Heard and then Karla Zenz narrowed the deficit to 41-40 with 5:22 to play. But Roseburg scored the next eight points to put it away. "We adjusted at halftime so our posts set up a little higher," Heard said. "When they switched defenses, it left (the lob) wide open." Gilding hit a free throw and another basket to extend the lead to four and then Goodell knocked down her second 3-pointer. Then with South desperately trying to make something happen with its press, Shannon Burmeister beat everyone down the floor for a layin to make it 49-40 with 3:52 to play. Whitney Grant, who finished with 15 points, six rebounds and seven steals, connected on a 3-pointer to keep the Panthers alive with just under three minutes to play. But Heard got the ball into Gilding again and South never got closer than six the rest of the way. South had four turnovers in the final two minutes and finished with 25 on the night. "That�s way too many turnovers when the other team�s not pressing," Wegner said. "We had nine turnovers in the first quarter and that wasn�t a great way to start." But the Panthers � keyed by Grant�s seven points � managed to reel off 11 straight points in the second quarter to wipe out a nine-point deficit. Kellie Thomas, who had 15 points and grabbed four rebounds, scored seven points in a 10-0 run as South took a 34-27 lead early in the second half. But the Panthers were unable to sustain the hot streak. "They really hurt us inside," Thomas said. "We wanted to keep them from shooting 3-pointers and lined up on the 3-point line to keep them from getting that shot. But we just didn�t give the backside help we needed to on the inside." ROSEBURG (53) � Grady 0, Goodell 8, Lint 6, Heard 18, Burmeister 8, Gilding 12, Stephens 0. Totals: 18-49 8-13 SOUTH MEDFORD (45) � Perttu 5, Wright 0, Grant 15, Hunt 4, Berkey 0, McHenry 0, Thomas 15, Zenz 6. Totals: 18-50 5-5 45. Roseburg..................................................13 14 5 21 � 53 South Medford.........................................10 14 12 9 � 45 3-point goals � Roseburg 3 (Goodell 2, Heard 1). South Medford 4 (Grant 3, Thomas 1). JV score � Roseburg 39, South Medford 30. Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 776-4483, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.