Prep Boys Basketball: Roseburg runs out of steam in 101-83 loss to Sheldon

The visiting Sheldon Irish led wire-to-wire in a 101-83 victory over Roseburg Friday night at Robertson Memorial Gymnasium, but struggled to seal the deal against a resilient Indians squad.

Roseburg didn’t back down from the Irish, despite falling behind by double figures multiple times throughout the Southwest Conference contest. Roseburg coach Brett Nixon felt it was an indication that the Indians are starting to gel as a team.

“Guys are encouraging each other. Really having some good bench energy and talking to each about not getting down,” Nixon said after the loss. “Not getting at each other. Not picking at each other. Trying to lift each other up. That wasn’t something we had earlier in the season. They’re starting to do it now and I can sense that, as a whole group, that positivity is starting to shine.”

Sheldon (12-5, 4-0 SWC) led 26-16 after the first quarter, but the Indians managed to cut the deficit to 48-43 with about 45 seconds remaining in the first half. The Irish amped up the pressure and went into the locker room on a 6-0 run for an 11-point advantage.

The lead ballooned to 18 points in the third quarter, but Sheldon saw leading-scorer Kai Holmes get ejected from the game after receiving back-to-back technicals. He exited with a team-high 21 points.

Roseburg (0-16, 0-4) capitalized on some momentum to start the fourth quarter and went on a 10-0 run to get within 84-76 with a little more than five minutes remaining.

Sheldon, the defending-conference champions, halted the comeback effort with a stifling defense and finished the game on a 17-7 run.

“They came out and played very well,” Nixon said. “(Y)eah it sucks to lose, but against that opponent and as well as we played to stay right in it most of the way, I really felt like at pretty much any point in time, even with three minutes left, we could claw back into it. It was a good effort. Really proud of them.”

Harrison Scott made four 3-point shots and scored a game-high 22 points to lead Roseburg.

Gannon Egbert and Preston Sprague also finished in double figures as they were opportunistic in Roseburg attempts to break Sheldon’s suffocating press defense. Egbert had a career-high 17 points and Sprague finished with 14.

“Gannon is a kid I never have to ask ‘can you work harder?’ or ‘could you go faster?’ He’s going to give that to you all the time,” Nixon said. “Very proud of him and Preston too. Running the floor and making himself big underneath the hoop.”

Nixon said their efforts helped get the Roseburg offense into a flow.

“We had that early on in the season and we’ve kind of lost that. I think the kids are starting to buy into that now, and it’s like we can actually have an inside-out game,” Nixon explained.

Tristen Frable benefited from the open looks from long range. The junior made three 3-point shots and scored 14 of his season-high 16 points in the second half as the Tribe rallied.

Along with Holmes, Sheldon had Geno Marzano (17), Matt Schuck (16) and Kai Gallic (13) all in double figures.

Roseburg continues the Southwest Conference season at South Medford at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday.

SHELDON (101) — Kai Holmes 21, Marzano 17, Schuck 16, Gallic 13, Anderson 8, Cupp 8, Morrow 6, Harrison 4, Wallace 3, King 3, Jones-Kelly, Haverland. Totals 42 9-15 101.

ROSEBURG (83) — Harrison Scott 22, Egbert 17, Frable 16, Sprague 14, Kemmerle 11, Brown 3, Lobo, Chartier, Rodgers. Totals 31 12-16 83.

Sheldon;26;28;25;22;—;101

Roseburg;15;28;20;20;—;83

3-Point Goals — Shel. 8 (Marzano 3, Holmes 2, Gallic 2, Anderson 1), Rose. 9 (Scott 4, Frable 3, Kemmerle 1, Brown 1). Total Fouls — Shel. 16, Rose. 13. Technical Fouls — Holmes 2. Disqualified — Holmes.

JV Score — Sheldon 70, Roseburg 52.