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Classic boasts strong field MT file photo Fifth-ranked South and unbeaten Lake Oswego headline the eight-team, three-day tournament By DON HUNT Mail Tribune Some boys basketball insiders are suggesting that this year's version of the Medford Holiday Classic features the best field in the 12-year history of the event. That might be a stretch, but it's safe to say that the talent pool is very good. For starters, there is Lake Oswego, which enters the tournament with a 7-0 record and features 6-foot-91/2 senior center Ben Sullivan, who signed a letter of intent with Cal-State Northridge last month. Sullivan averages 18 points and 14 rebounds per game, and is no less shy about taking - and making - a 3-pointer from the perimeter than he is about knifing to the basket for a dunk. Then there's fifth-ranked South Medford, which comes in at 6-1 and boasts two standout players: 6-9 senior center Eric Fiegi, who averages 21.7 points, and senior point guard Ryan Heil, who hits at a 15.7 clip. Not to be overlooked is Redmond, which is 4-1 and projected as a favorite in the Intermountain Conference. The Central Oregon squad will put a front line on the floor that consists of 6-7 Marty Luenen, 6-41/2 Josh Wagenblast and 6-4 Nathan Klontz, with 6-5 Randy Liedtke coming off the bench. Luenen, a sophomore, is considered a Division I prospect. Toss in Sheldon and Glencoe, who are viewed as playoff teams in the Midwestern and Metro leagues, respectively, and it's a loaded field indeed. North Medford, Reynolds and McNary round out the tournament entrants, and none of them is a pushover. "We try to bring in quality teams each year, and we might have hit the jackpot this time," says South Medford coach Dennis Murphy, whose Panthers meet Glencoe at 7:45 tonight in the South gym. "It doesn't look like anyone is going to have an easy game." South Medford leans heavily on Fiegi and Heil, who have accounted for 54 percent of the team's scoring. However, the Panthers are getting good production from senior shooting guard Adam Walport (8.1), junior strong forward Boomer Marshall (7.7) and senior small forward Alan Johnson (7.0). Walport has been in double figures three straight games after earning a spot in the starting lineup. "Teams have to defend all five kids we have out there, and that really wasn't the case last season," Murphy says. "Fiegi and Heil are scoring just as much or more than they did a year ago, but the other guys are stepping up a lot better." With the 6-9, 240-pound Fiegi manning the middle, the Panthers have also been stingy on defense, yielding only 56.5 points per game. Lake Oswego, meanwhile, had to replace Salim Stoudamire, who set the Class 4A career scoring record last season while pacing the Lakers to a 17-10 record. Stoudamire, a cousin of Portland Trail Blazers guard Damon Stoudamire, now plays at the University of Arizona. The Lakers lost two other starters and were expected to struggle, at least in the early going. Instead, they've flourished, thanks in large part to Sullivan. "He only averaged about five rebounds a game last year - now he's getting 13 or 14 a night," Lake Oswego coach Mark Shoff says. "That's where he's improved the most. "And he's a tough guy to guard because he's got 3-point range." Lake Oswego, which meets McNary at 6 p.m. today at South Medford, has two other scoring threats in 6-foot junior off guard Mike White and 6-1 senior small forward Justin Joselow, a transfer from Bellevue, Wash. Junior Aaron Collins has been steady at the point. North Medford enters the tourney with some confidence following a two-game win streak, but coach Tim Sam admits the Black Tornado, 2-4 overall, needs to be more consistent. "At times we're very solid at most things we do - at other times we can't do anything well," Sam says. "Our strength has been our effort and attitude." Senior wing Zach Taylor leads the Tornado in scoring at 13.5 and Zach Rettmann is averaging 10.1 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.