Panthers climb into title game

E.J. Singler leads all scorers with 20 points as No. 2 South Medford moves on to face Lake Oswego in the championship contest of the Red Bluff Holiday Classic

December 20, 2008
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RED BLUFF, Calif. — A pair of familiar foes will meet for yet another title.

South Medford overcame a sizeable height disadvantage and E.J. Singler led all scorers with 20 points as the Panthers took down Helix of San Diego 56-51 on Friday to reach the championship of the Red Bluff Holiday Classic.

South Medford will tangle with Lake Oswego tonight at 7:30 in a rematch of the 2006 and '07 state title games. It'll be the first meeting between the teams since a thrilling 58-54 Panthers' win in the 2007 title game, which featured South Medford's Kyle Singler, now at Duke University, and Lake Oswego's Kevin Love, now with the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves.

"Lake Oswego is top five in the state, and it will be a heck of a game," South Medford coach Dennis Murphy said. "We really like what we are doing, and we are looking forward to the challenge. It will be fun."

South Medford passed a daunting test on Friday.

The Panthers fell behind 9-2 early against a tall Helix team that fields two Pac-10-bound football players in 6-foot-8 Levine Toilolo and 6-5 Anthony Anderson. Toilolo is headed to Stanford University and Anderson will play for the University of Oregon.

"We just had to battle," Murphy said. "We had to keep jumping and get into people. We just started defending much better and rebounding the heck out of them.

"It's a huge win for us right now."

South Medford, last year's Red Bluff Holiday Classic champions, seized momentum in the second quarter by outscoring Helix 20-8 behind inspired defense and better shot selection, Murphy said.

The Panthers drew five charges and "were able to get the ball in E.J.'s hands," Murphy said.

"He didn't get many shots early on, so we moved him around, and he started hitting," Murphy said of the University of Oregon-bound Singler.

South Medford also received a strong effort from Cameron Kynard. He had 14 points, including two late free throws after Helix had cut the lead to five.

"Cameron played as well as he's played up to this point," Murphy said.

After taking an 18-17 lead in the second quarter, South Medford never trailed the rest of the way and led by as much as nine.

Josh Havird added eight points and Miles Petersen seven for the Panthers (4-0).

Toilolo led Helix with 15 points and Jaylen Linson had 12.

HELIX (51) — Ballard 9, Reed 2, Peterson 0, Young 7, Soloman 0, Topalove 3, Linson 12, Meredith 1, Anderson 2, Toilolo 15. Totals: 19 12-25 51.

SOUTH MEDFORD (56) — Brassel 2, McLaughlin 2, Kynard 14, M. Singler 2, Havird 8, E. Singler 20, Mercer 1, Petersen 7. Totals: 22 8-13 56.

Helix 15 8 12 16 — 51

South Medford 11 20 8 17 — 56

3-point goals — Helix 1 (Topalove 1), South Medford 4 (Havird 2, E. Singler 1, Petersen 1).