Medomak Rallies Over York in Class B South Quarterfinal Medomak 66 - York 61

The fourth seed Medomak Valley boys basketball team (13-5) held off fifth ranked York (10-8) to win 66-61 in a Class B South quarterfinal game on Friday, Feb. 17 at the Portland Expo. The Panthers advanced to the semifinals against top-ranked Oceanside (17-1).

Medomak jumped out to a 7-2 lead on two hoops from Kory Donlin, including a three, and one from Finn Parmley. York finished the quarter with an 11-2 run to lead 13-9 at the end of one. Luke Bouchard led the charge with eight points in the frame; however, the Panthers shut Bouchard down for the remainder of the game.

The Panthers two ball handlers, Donlin and Jaiden Starr, were in foul trouble early. Medomak’s bench stepped up big with sophomore Vishal Mellor and freshman Luke Cheesman taking up the slack and combining for 11 points.

The two teams battled in the second period. York led by six, but the Panthers clawed their way to within one by the half, 36-25. Mellor sank four of six foul shots and scored on a Gabe Lash feed in the rally. Cheesman had two steals in the rally, scoring off one of them.

York built a seven-point lead in the third quarter, 36-29. Medomak finished the frame with 12-2 run to take a 41-38 lead heading into the final quarter. Kevin Sincyr scored seven points, Lash scored on a Sincyr feed, and Mellor converted at the line for a three-point play in the rally.

Sincyr opened the fourth with a 3-pointer to give the Panthers a six-point lead. York pulled within three. Medomak answered the threat with back-to-back baskets from Donlin and Lash for an eight-point lead.

Medomak led by 10 with two minutes to play. Derek Parsons cut the lead to nine at the foul line. The Panthers missed four straight foul shots and York took advantage, hitting two big 3-pointers to cut the lead to three with 1:40 to play.

Blake Morrison crashed the glass for two to bump the Panthers’ lead to five. After sinking only 12 of 27 foul shots over the first 30:44 minutes of play, the Panthers sank eight of eight in the final 1:16 to seal the win. Lash went six for six at the foul line and Morrison two for two in the final 1:16.

Lash netted 11 points in the final frame, including making nine of 10 foul shots.

First half action saw both teams grab 16 rebounds, but the boards belonged to the Panthers in the second half with a 22-9 advantage, led by Lash with 10 of his game-high 14 rebounds.

Scoring for Medomak were Sincyr with a career-high 20 points (3R, 3A); Lash, 16; Mellor, 9; Donlin, 7 (8R); Parmley, 5 (5R); Blake Morrison, 4 (3R); Starr, 3 (4R, 2A); and Cheesman, 2 (2R, 2S).

Scoring for York were Parsons, 15; Connor Roberge, 13 (6R, 3A); Bouchard, 10 (6R); Jacob Fogg, 8 (4R, 3S); Haydn Forbes, 7; Ty Regis, 6; and Reece MacDonald, 2.