North wins on the road
By: mailtribune.com
North Medford shook off a 10-0 deficit to start its Class 6A boys basketball state playoff opener and eventually stunned host Sunset with an inside basket by senior Garrett Parker with 3.5 seconds remaining for a 44-42 triumph Thursday night.
The win marked the first road victory in the playoffs under Black Tornado head coach Scott Plankenhorn in his 13 years, and advanced No. 20 seed North Medford (17-9) into a second-round date tonight against No. 4 seed Jesuit (19-6).
Sunset (16-10) was seeded No. 13.
“That was a big win for the team and a big win for our program in my tenure,” said Plankenhorn. “It’s exciting for us to do it the way we did it. We had to just keep battling.”
With the score tied at 42-all, North Medford set up a last shot with 22 seconds remaining. The idea was to create space on the floor for senior point guard Darrius Wells and junior standout Jett Carpenter. At about 10 seconds to go, Wells came off a Carpenter screen and down the paint, dishing at the last second to Parker for his only basket of the game.
Senior Jaray Thomas led the Black Tornado with 17 points, while Carpenter had 10 points and sophomore Nick Karrick came off the bench with six points to join junior Victor Orozco-Bernal as key cogs to North’s fourth-quarter rally.
“We just kept chopping at it,” said Plankenhorn. “Jaray had another great game, Jett was big and Darrius and Garrett combined with the biggest play of all on that pick-and-roll.”
NORTH MEDFORD (44): Wells 3, Ellis 0, Thomas 17, Carpenter 10, Angulo 2, Orozco-Bernal 4, Parker 2, Karrick 6, Spence 0. Totals: 20 2-6 44.
SUNSET (42): Vernon 0, Kelton 2, Sato 14, Reese 4, King 4, Muhlheim 9, Rainbolt 4, Estep 1, Arenz 4. Totals: 16 7-10 42.
North Medford3131315— 44
Sunset121389— 42
3-point goals — North Medford 2 (Karrick 2), Sunset 3 (Sato 2, Muhleim 1).
Girls
GRANTS PASS 43, WILSON 21: At Grants Pass, Ayla Klingler had 13 points, Ahdra Klingler added 12 and Grace Gaither had 10 as the senior trio helped Grants Pass cruise to the Class 6A first-round state playoff victory.
The Cavers (16-9) advance to play at No. 2-seeded Tigard on Saturday.
Grants Pass limited Wilson to one field goal in the first quarter and held the Trojans scoreless in the second to lead 20-2 at halftime.
WILSON (21): Klas 0, Balthazaar 0, Bair 3, Austin 2, Richman 2, Hodge 3, Prado 0, Scriven 8, Reid 0, Hart 0, Digiulio 3. Totals: 8 2-5 21.
GRANTS PASS (43): Page 0, Rucker 0, Gaither 10, Lingo 0, Ay. Klingler 13, Williams 2, Ah. Klingler 12, Rund 0, Bruner 4, Childers 0, Yount 2. Totals: 12 16-21 43.
Wilson20613— 21
Grants Pass1191112— 43
3-point goals — Wilson 3 (Scriven 2, Bair 1), Grants Pass 3 (Ah. Klingler 2, Ay. Klingler 1). Fouled out — Hodge.
