Prep Boys Basketball: Roseburg’s 56-48 loss to McMinnville spoils coach Nixon’s debut

Jaron Leeworthy and Preston Sprague scored in double figures, but it wasn’t enough for the Roseburg boys basketball team to win its season opener against McMinnville.

The Grizzlies ended the game on a 10-2 run to pull away for a 56-48 nonleague win over the Indians Wednesday night at Robertson Memorial Gymnasium.

“I’m real proud about the not giving up,” Roseburg first-year coach Brett Nixon said after the loss.

Roseburg (0-1) started the game on a 6-0 run, but found itself trailing through a good portion of the first half. McMinnville (1-0) needed nearly three full minutes of game time to score its first points of the season, but the Grizzlies rallied to lead 17-15 after the first quarter.

The Grizzlies pulled ahead by as many as nine points in the first half behind Xander Gurash and Dylan Ferrua, who combined for 17 points and helped McMinnville lead 35-28 at the break.

Roseburg fell behind by 11 in the third quarter before the Tribe mounted a rally. Sprague netted eight points in the period to help the Indians recapture a 43-42 advantage going into the final eight minutes.

The Grizzlies jumped out to a 46-43 lead to begin the fourth quarter, but Leeworthy tied the game with 6:26 remaining on his second 3-point field goal of the night.

The score stayed tied for nearly 2 1/2 minutes of game action. McMinnville finally grabbed the lead with four minutes to go and the Grizzlies avoided the late-game collapse to start the season with a victory.

“We were giving up too many second chance shots for them,” Nixon said. “They were just putting them, getting three or four looks under the hoop. That just can’t happen.”

Gurash had a game-high 19 points to lead McMinnville and Ferrua added 10.

Leeworthy tied his season-high from last year with 17 points, while Sprague had 16 in his varsity debut.

Roseburg hosts the Crater Comets in a nonleague game at 6:45 p.m. Friday.

MCMINNVILLE (56) — Xander Gurash 19, Ferrua 10, Chapman, Richardson 6, Merlier 8, Herrick 8, McIrvin, Thelander 2, Lewis 3, Howard. Totals 23 5-12 56.

ROSEBURG (48) — Jaron Leeworthy 17, Lobo 2, Scott 8, Frable, Kemmerle 5, Sprague 16, Michael, Egbert. Totals 18 8-16 48.

McMinnville;17;18;7;14;—;56

Roseburg;15;13;15;5;—;48

3-Point Goals — McMinn. 5 (Richardson 2, Herrick 2, Gurash 1), Rose. 4 (Leeworthy 2, Scott 2). Total Fouls — McMinn. 18, Rose. 13.

JV Score — McMinnville 54, Roseburg 31.