The Roseburg High School boys basketball team finished the first half of conference play with a statement win over the Sheldon Irish.
The two teams entered Tuesday’s matchup tied for second place in the Southwest Conference standings, but Roseburg turned a three-point game late in the third quarter into a runaway 73-46 victory with a strong finish on its home court.
“Friday (an 85-84 loss at South Eugene) left a sour taste in our mouth,” Roseburg senior Carter Stedman said.
“We knew coming into tonight that it would be a big game. And just like what we’ve talked about all year with these seniors, just enjoy the moment. We’ve worked so hard to get here, to be able to compete at a level like this. So this meant a lot.”
The win gave Roseburg (14-4, 4-2 SWC) sole possession of second place and kept the Indians two games back of league-leading South Medford. Roseburg will host the Panthers on Feb. 7.
Roseburg jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to a pair of highlight reel dunks by Mykah Mendoza. The junior wing led the Indians with 22 points, including a team-high four 3-point field goals.
Sheldon (7-11, 3-3) responded with an 8-0 run to take its first lead of the game.
Owen Bentea sank a pair of free throws at the end of the opening period to give Roseburg a 15-14 lead and the Indians never trailed again.
Sheldon managed to cut a double-digit deficit to just three points late in the third quarter after Colby Parosa made a pair of free throws to make it 45-42.
Roseburg stretched the lead back to eight points by the end of the period and outscored the Irish 23-4 in the final eight minutes.
“(Sheldon) just got tired in the fourth,” said Roseburg coach Jordan Humphreys, whose offensive game plan is designed to push defenses to the limit. “We were beating them up and down the floor and they were missing easy shots because they’re tired.”
Bentea contributed 15 points off the bench for Roseburg and Hunter Fullerton added 10.
India Mohiuddin led Sheldon with 14 points. The junior wing made four treys and was 2 of 2 at the free throw line.
SHELDON (46) — India Mohiuddin 14, Leighton 10, Graziano 9, Parosa 6, Rubino 5, Stapleton 2, Winger, Cramer, Jacobson, Yakovich, Haverland, Forsha. Totals 15 8-10 46.
ROSEBURG (73) — Mykah Mendoza 22, Bentea 15, Fullerton 10, Stedman 7, Williams 7, Oja 5, Cleary 3, Finlayson 2, Vredenburg 2, Lopez, Wilder, Ash. Totals 26 9-15 73.
Sheldon 14 10 18 4 — 46
Roseburg 15 19 16 23 — 73
3-Point Goals — She. 8 (Mohiuddin 4, Graziano 3, Rubino 1), Rose. 12 (Mendoza 4, Bentea 3, Fullerton 2, Oja 1, Stedman 1, Cleary 1). Total Fouls — She. 15, Rose. 11.
