ROSEBURG – For a second consecutive game, the Roseburg boys basketball team came close to upsetting one of the top teams in the Southwest Conference, but fell short in the end.
A put-back basket by North Medford’s Brad Allen with 2.5 seconds left to play broke a tie game and gave the Black Tornado a 42-40 victory Tuesday night to remain undefeated in conference play. Roseburg had a chance to attempt a game-winning shot at the buzzer, but the Indians turned the ball over trying to work it down the court.
On the game-winning play for North Medford, Allen found himself in the right place at the right time. Junior Quiton Rumrey tried an off-balanced 3-pointer with the seconds ticking down, but his shot missed everything. Allen skied up to catch the ball in air and banked it off the glass for the winning points.
Roseburg (4-12; 1-4 SWC) and North Medford (13-4; 5-0 SWC) battled back-and-forth with neither team leading by more than five points. The Indians held an 11-10 lead after the first quarter, but the Black Tornado rallied for a 19-17 advantage at the break.
Collin Warmouth drained a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter to put Roseburg up 30-28 and the Indians took their largest lead of the game at four points early in the fourth quarter. Yet, the action stayed close.
North Medford tied the game 34-34 on a pair of free throws by Allen with 4:15 left to go. Allen could have put his team in front moments later after he stole the ball from Roseburg, but he missed a one-handed jam in transition and the Indians got the ball and got to the line where they retook the lead 35-34.
Joey Hunter put the Black Tornado in front with about 3 minutes to play on a 3-pointer and a free throw by Trey Holmes made it a three-point game, but the Indians fought back. The Indians went on a mini 5-0 run to go ahead 40-38, but Kaison Faust made a floater in the lane with just over a minute left to play to knot the game up once again.
Roseburg had the ball with 51 seconds left to play and a chance to take the lead, but the ball got knocked away from Warmouth on a handoff from Jonathan Stone and the ensuing tussle for the loose ball led to a jump ball call. The possession arrow favored North Medford and the Black Tornado got the opportunity to win the game in regulation.
The Indians played tough defense throughout the contest, holding North Medford’s offense to nearly 20 points less than it has averaged throughout the season. North’s leading scorer Kaison Faust was the only player to reach double figures with 10 points. Faust averaged 15.6 going into the contest.
Roseburg’s offense was held in check as well. Warmouth was the only Tribe player to reach double-figures. He finished with a game-high 18 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the floor and 9-of-10 from the free throw line.
Up next for the Indians is a non-conference contest at West Albany on Friday. The game tips off at 6:45 p.m. and broadcast coverage starts at 6:30 p.m.
NORTH MEDFORD; 10; 9; 9; 14 – 42
ROSEBURG; 11; 6; 13; 10 – 40
NORTH MEDFORD (42) – Kaison Faust 10; Hunter 9; Allen 8; Banuelos 4; Barry 3; Rumrey 3; Holmes 3; Baptiste 2; O’Connor; Ireland
ROSEBURG (40) – Collin Warmouth 18; M. Stone 7; Johnson 4; Crince 4; Lucido 3; J. Stone 2; Christner 2; Lookabaugh; Jacks