EUGENE — The North Medford girls basketball team had an opportunity to make a huge statement to open the Southwest Conference season but fell short, losing 47-45 in overtime to host Sheldon.
Senior post Megan Fossen had 18 points and 16 rebounds for the Black Tornado (6-7, 0-1 SWC), which on its final possession had a good look at a 3-pointer that could have won the game but came up short.
Junior guard Aly Mirabile scored 18 for the Irish (10-3, 1-0), who converted the decisive field goal with 11.5 seconds to play in the extra period.
Down 22-15 at halftime, North went on an 8-0 run to open the third quarter and surge into the lead. From there, the teams stayed within about three points of each other until the final buzzer.
Trailing by two late in the fourth quarter, North sent the game into overtime when Fossen got fouled with 16 seconds remaining and sank a pair of free throws to tie it. Sheldon then failed to get off a decent shot on its final possession of regulation.
“We had our opportunities,” North coach Tim Karrick said.
“It was a great game — it was fun to watch as fan,” he added. “It was two really quality teams going at it.”
Junior wing Ana Baker scored 10 points and senior guard Rylee Karrick added four points, five assists and four steals for North, which was picked second along with South Medford in the recent SWC coaches’ poll behind favorite Sheldon.
NORTH MEDFORD (45): Ersepke 7, T. Baker 6, Karrick 4, Christiansen 0, A. Baker 10, McLemore 0, Graff 0, Fossen 18. Totals: 16 13-19 45.
SHELDON (47): Washington 0, Mirabile 18, Foutz 0, Walk 11, Hanson 6, Scurlock 4, Reinen 6, Neuman 0, Winkler 2. Totals: 19 7-11 47.
North Medford;9;6;12;14;4;—;45
Sheldon;16;6;7;12;6;—;47
3-point goals — Sheldon 2 (Mirabile 1, Hansen 1). Fouled out — Winkler.
JV result — Sheldon won.
SOUTH MEDFORD 73, SOUTH EUGENE 52: At Eugene, Ula Chamberlin registered 20 points and five steals for South Medford, which opened Southwest Conference play by capturing its 91st straight league victory.
The Panthers (7-5, 1-0 SWC) received 11 points and 10 rebounds from Shakia Perry, and Bella Pedrojetti tallied 13 points.
Abbey Jost scored 19 points for South Eugene (6-7, 0-1 SWC), which was able to shift the momentum in its favor midway through the third quarter, cutting the Panthers’ 20-point halftime lead to nine.
SOUTH MEDFORD (73): U. Chamberlin 20, K. Chamberlin 6, Coleman 5, Schmerbach 9, Pedrojetti 13, Fish 2, Dahlin 2, Perry 11, Laupola 5. Totals: 29 13-17 73.
SOUTH EUGENE (52): A. Lewis 2, Glenzel 5, Brown 0, K. Stein 5, McGowan 4, Galloway 4, Brandt 0, Jost 19, Lee 13. Totals: 18 13-15 52.
South Medford;26;17;9;21;—;73
South Eugene;9;14;16;13;—;52
3-point goals — South Medford 2 (U. Chamberlin 1, Pedrojetti 1), South Eugene 3 (Jost 2, Stein 1).
JV score — South Eugene won.
GRANTS PASS 58, WILLAMETTE 36: At Grants Pass, junior guard Grace Gaither sank five 3-pointers and scored a game-high 19 points for Grants Pass.
Ahdra Klingler added 13 points for the Cavers (9-4, 1-0 SWC), who led 22-13 at halftime.
Willamette fell to 5-7 on the season and 0-1 in league.
WILLAMETTE (36): Morris 2, Sendrijas 4, Smith 6, Jackson 0, Crawford 11, White 0, Pickerans 4, Lee 0, Willoughby 9. Totals: 14 4-5 36.
GRANTS PASS (58): Etheridge 5, Padgett 8, Gaither 19, Lingo 0, Ay. Klingler 13, Williams 0, Ah. Klingler 5, Rucker 0, Bruner 0, Noga 8, Yount 0, Durrant 0. Totals: 20 10-12 58.
Willamette;10;3;8;15;—;36
Grants Pass;12;10;16;20;—;58
3-point goals — Willamette 4 (Smith 2, Crawford 1, Willoughby 1), Grants Pass 8 (Etheridge 1, Padgett 2, Gaither 5).
Boys
SOUTH EUGENE 60, SOUTH MEDFORD 55: South Medford led by one with two minutes to play in the fourth quarter but visiting South Eugene made 11 of 12 free throws in the final period to claim the Southwest Conference opener for both teams.
Sherman Hunter, a sophomore guard, scored 17 of his game-high 20 points in the first half — netting four of his five 3-pointers — for the Panthers (4-8, 0-1 SWC).
Senior post Jesse Higgins finished with 15 points and six blocked shots and junior point guard Trent DeBoer, starting in place of an ill Payton Owens, added six assists for South, which was also missing starting guard Robbie Patterson.
Senior guard Jay Elmore scored 16 for the Axemen (6-7, 1-0).
SOUTH EUGENE (60): Elmore 16, Mitchell 7, Berryman 3, Leonard 7, Harris 2, Clark 9, McAninch 2, Soifer 2, Boettcher 4, Lininger 4, Joyce 4. Totals: 15 19-23 60.
SOUTH MEDFORD (55): Hunter 20, DeBoer 4, T. Boster 0, Losinski 7, Fealey 5, English 2, Randleman 2, Higgins 15. Totals: 16 17-27 55.
South Eugene;11;22;12;15;—;60
South Medford;17;11;12;15;—;55
3-point goals — South Eugene 5 (Elmore 2, Mitchell 1, Berryman 1, Leonard 1), South Medford 6 (Hunter 5, Fealey 1). Technical foul — South Medford coach Wightman.
JV result — South Medford won.
GRANTS PASS 60, WILLAMETTE 48: At Eugene, Taylor Anderson had 14 points as Grants Pass won its Southwest Conference opener.
Tayler Phillips added 12 points and Tyler Rund scored 11 for the Cavemen (7-5, 1-0 SWC), who won their third straight.
Owen Cross scored 14 for the Wolverines (6-7, 0-1).
GRANTS PASS (60): Rich 4, Lopez 8, Rund 11, Rucker 0, Anderson 14, Lackey 4, Clark 7, Phillips 12. Totals: 22 13-18 60.
WILLAMETTE (48): Skeele 3, Cross 14, Bridge-Eiler 0, Burke 2, Smith 3, Puckett 3, Curtis 10, Reichenberger 8, Arnold 5. Totals: 18 7-12 48.
Grants Pass;18;14;16;12;—;60
Willamette;10;12;8;18;—;48
3-point goals — Grants Pass 3 (Anderson 1, Clark 1, Phillips 1), Willamette 5 (Cross 2, Smith 1, Puckett 1, Arnold 1).