South Medford guard Boden Howell scored a school-record 53 points to help guide the first-place Panthers past Roseburg 111-80 in a Southwest Conference boys basketball contest Tuesday night at Robertson Memorial Gymnasium.
The sophomore passed former South Medford and Duke University standout Kyle Singler, who scored 41 points against North Medford to set the school record in 2006, according to the Rogue Valley Tribune.
“South Medford’s guys put on a show,” Roseburg coach Jordan Humphreys said.
“We weren’t trying to do a track meet tonight. We had a couple of things we were trying to do to stop them, but they got a little bit of a lead and once they got a lead then we had to try something a little bit different.”
Howell’s performance stole the headlines, but South Medford junior Jackson Weiland added 28 points for the Panthers. The duo made a combined eight 3-point field goals.
Roseburg’s Mykah Mendoza countered the Panthers’ offensive attack with a new career high and flirted with the RHS single-game scoring record.
The junior netted 40 points, falling shy of Collin Warmouth’s school record of 43 points in a game, set in 2019.
Roseburg (14-5, 4-3 SWC) and South Medford (16-5, 8-0) kept things close through the first eight minutes of play, but the Panthers pulled ahead 50-39 at halftime.
Howell had 22 of his 53 points in the first half, doing most of his damage from mid-range.
“It wasn’t like his shots were easy. He’s shooting those fadeaway shots. He’s put a ton of time into it,” Humphreys said.
Roseburg went on a quick run in the fourth quarter to cut a 24-point deficit down to just 15, but the Panthers poured it on to finish the game.
Senior Boston Williams added 12 points for Roseburg and was the only other player to reach double figures in the game.
The loss puts Roseburg 3 1/2 games behind South Medford in the league standings. The Indians hold a half-game lead over Grants Pass and North Medford for second place.
“Our goals are to get a home playoff game and we’re still in position to do that,” Humphreys said. “This one would have been nice for a lot of reasons, but it doesn’t change that we’re in control of our destiny to reach our goals.”
Roseburg will visit last place Willamette for a conference matchup at 6:45 p.m. Friday in Eugene.
SOUTH MEDFORD (111) — Boden Howell 53, Weiland 28, Akpan 8, D. Espinoza 8, Sewell 5, Edgar 4, Henry 4, Shuldberg, Adee, Livdahl. Totals 45 13-17 111.
ROSEBURG (80) — Mykah Mendoza 40, Williams 12, Bentea 8, Fullerton 8, Oja 4, Wilder 4, Stedman 3, Vredenburg 1, Lopez, Finlayson, Ash, Cleary. Totals 29 13-16 80.
S. Medford 30 20 26 35 — 111
Roseburg 24 15 16 25 — 80
3-Point Goals — S.M. 8 (Howell 4, Weiland 4), Rose. 9 (Mendoza 5, Bentea 2, Williams 2). Total Fouls — S.M. 14, Rose. 19. Fouled Out — Fullerton.
JV Score — Roseburg 62, South Medford 56.
