Tornado storms by Sheldon

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North Medford’s Jana Parker (14) goes in for a layup against Sheldon’s Theresa Brown on Friday.

January 19, 2008

By Kevin Goff

Mail Tribune

Just four points separated North Medford from Sheldon through three quarters on Friday in a Southwest Conference girls basketball game.

The fifth-ranked Black Tornado, however, found another gear in the fourth quarter and Sheldon failed to find an answer.

North Medford outscored the Irish 16-1 in the final period to blow open a close game and win going away, 57-38 at North Medford High.

Senior Jana Parker led a balanced Black Tornado scoring attack with 14 points — 10 coming in the first half. Junior post Jaci Abeloe added 12 points, sophomore point guard Karissa Dixon scored nine and seniors Erica Schultz and Whitney Hodnett each contributed eight points.

The victory avenges North's lone SWC loss — 43-34 to Sheldon in the conference opener — and helps the Tornado remain tied with South Eugene atop the league standings with a 4-1 mark.

North Medford (12-3 overall) squares off with South Eugene, a 71-50 winner over Grants Pass Friday night, next Friday at the Black Tornado gym.

North has now won four straight since the loss to Sheldon on Jan. 4 and has outscored its opponents by an average of 23 points per game in that time span.

"We were a little upset with the way we played against (Sheldon) last time," said Parker. "In practice this week we focused on our defense but we also focused a lot more on our offense. It definitely paid off tonight."

The Tornado took a 4-2 lead on a Dixon layin in the first 11/2 minute of the game and didn't trail the rest of the way.

The Irish (10-5, 3-2 SWC) stayed close throughout but seemed to tire in the fourth quarter after having to endure North Medford's constant full-court pressure.

Sheldon came up empty on all 13 of its field goal attempts in the fourth period and didn't get on the board until the 4:34 mark when Katie Steigleman hit one of two from the foul line.

"They are a good team," said North Medford coach Tim Karrick. "I don't think the final score is at all indicative of how close these two teams are.

"They had some good looks that might normally fall for them (in the fourth). That's kind of what we ran into the last time we played them."

The offensive drought in the fourth quarter erased a run in the third quarter that helped Sheldon trim a 31-19 deficit to 41-37.

"We expended a lot of energy in the third quarter to get that lead down," said Sheldon coach Luke Roth. "The problem is we turned it over too much early.

"I think overall, North just wanted it more than we did."

The Black Tornado shot 22 of 43 for the game and hit all eight of its free throws in the fourth quarter.

The 51-percent shooting effort was in stark contrast to North's 12-of-49 effort in the nine-point loss to Sheldon earlier.

"The kids were disappointed with how they played and how they executed the first time we played them," said Karrick. "They played a little tight last time, but they played loose this time and that translated into a better performance."

Parker was the instigator in getting North off to a good start.

The 5-foot-8 wing converted a fastbreak layin to start the second quarter and give North a 16-13 lead.

Dixon answered a Sheldon bucket by Theresa Brown with a 3-pointer, and Hodnett scored on a breakaway to extend the Tornado advantage. Parker knocked down another North 3-ball, and Abeloe connected on a pair from the foul line with one minute left in the half to up the lead to 27-17. Sheldon reserve Emily Gray then sank a short jumper to stop the bleeding but Schultz scored on a putback with seven seconds remaining to give the Black Tornado a 29-19 edge at intermission.

The lead grew to double digits early in the third quarter before Steigleman went off for 14 of her team's 18 points in the period, including 10 straight at one point, to keep Sheldon within striking distance.

Parker and Hodnett, however, each made a pair of free throws to start the fourth, Dixon broke free for a layup and Abeloe converted down low to extend the North Medford lead to double digits.

"I think they had an off night shooting and we played well defensively," said Parker. "That combination sparked us."

Brown, a 6-foot senior post, missed the last matchup with North because of a sore hamstring. She scored 12 of her 14 points in the first half on Friday to lead Sheldon, while Steigleman finished with 15 points to lead all scorers.

SHELDON (38) — Ward 0, King 0, Girod 0, Gray 2, Steigleman 15, Pangilinan 0, Doe 3, Ta. Brown 4, Anderson 0, Th. Brown 14. Totals: 14-48 9-15 38.

NORTH MEDFORD (57) — Schultz 8, Satterfield 0, Dixon 9, Hodnett 8, Parker 14, Egge 2, Smith 4, Whitehead 0, Abeloe 12. Totals: 22-43 11-12 57.

Sheldon 13 6 18 1 —38

North Medford 14 15 12 16 —57

3-point goals — Sheldon 1 (Steigleman 1), North Medford 2 (Dixon 1, Parker 1). Technical foul — Abeloe.

JV score — North Medford 47, Sheldon 38.

Reach reporter Kevin Goff at 776-4483, or e-mail kgoff@mailtribune.com

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