Craig pulls away from Parker
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JANESVILLE — Bob Suter didn’t enjoy beating his former player.
The former player—Ryan Masterson—didn’t have any fun getting beat.
Suter’s Janesville Craig boys basketball team shut down Masterson’s Janesville Parker squad in the second quarter and breezed to a 77-53 Big Eight Conference victory in the Cougar gym Tuesday night.
Craig used double-figure scoring from four players and dominance inside to improve to 4-2 in the conference and 5-3 overall.
Parker, which shot 5-of-10 from the field in the first quarter then just 2-of-12 in the second quarter, suffered its sixth straight Big Eight loss and fell to 0-8 for the season.
A.J. Fredricks scored 19 points on several athletic shots around the basket, while JoJo Pregont scored 16 points on seven-of-11 shooting, with 10 rebounds and six blocked shots to lead Craig.
Kyle Goike added 14 points with four three-pointers, and Brad Cagney added 11 points with three three-pointers, making the Cougars too much for the younger Vikings to handle.
For Suter, who coached Masterson and then had the first-year Parker head coach on his staff for several seasons, the victory was not as sweet as usual.
“You don’t enjoy this win as much as if it were against Rich Cleveland or Steve Collins or one of those guys,” Suter said. “Ryan is doing good things.”
The way Craig played in the second quarter, the Cougars might have defeated Cleveland’s Madison East squad and given Collins’ Madison Memorial team a game.
Parker, behind Cody Simonson’s two three-pointers and Jordan Thompson’s one three-pointer, had a 10-9 lead with a little more than three minutes to go in the first quarter.
Then Pregont got loose for three straight close-range baskets, and Goike’s three-pointer to close out the quarter put Craig ahead 22-15.
That was just a preview of what was to come.
Fredricks (11) and Goike (8) combined to score all 19 of Craig’s second-quarter points, with several coming off of Pregont assists. Meanwhile, Parker went 2-of-12 from the field and 2-of-8 from the line to fall behind by 20 points, 41-21, at halftime.
Fredricks added seven points, and Cagney and Brett Bates each had five points in the third quarter when the Cougars ran off to a 63-33 lead.
At that point, Craig had made 24 of 44 field-goal attempts, while Parker was just 11 of 35. The Vikings then won the fourth quarter, which turned into a free-throw contest. The Vikings made 10 of 12, while the Cougars were 8 of 12.
Simonson finished with 18 points, and Thompson had 11 to lead the Vikings, who are making strides under Masterson.
“At this point, we pride ourselves on playing hard,” Masterson said. “We made some mistakes on defense in the first half. We let some guys beat us back-door. We corrected it at half and ended up playing pretty well the rest of the game.
“We’re learning every time out.”
Masterson, who joked before the game that he was worried he might sit on the wrong bench, enjoyed the challenge of taking on his old coach.
“It’s fun going up against coach Suter,” Masterson said. “I would have enjoyed keeping it a little closer. I’d like to steal one, but that didn’t happen.”
Suter understands the challenge Masterson faces, but expects that the spread that now separates the teams will eventually close.
“I told everybody before the game that we have seven seniors against their juniors,” Suter said, “and they better show they have a year’s more experience.”
The Cougars did just that.
CRAIG 77, PARKER 53
Parker (53)—Simonson, 5-6-18; Thompson, 4-1-11; Fielder, 1-0-2; Teubert, 1-0-2; C. Knutson, 2-2-6; J. Knutson, 0-1-1; Husen, 0-5-5; Bouska, 2-2-6; Anderson, 1-0-2. Totals: 16-17-53.
Craig (77)—Cagney, 4-0-11; Kennedy, 1-0-2; Fredricks, 6-7-19; Goike, 5-0-14; Pregont, 7-2-16; Wright, 1-0-2; Johnson, 1-3-5; Bates, 2-2-6; Losching, 0-2-2. Totals: 27-16-77.
Janesville Parker 15 6 12 20—53
Janesville Craig 22 19 22 14—77
Three-point goals—Parker 4 (Simonson 2, Thompson 2), Craig 7 (Cagney 3, Goike 4). Free throws missed—Parker 14, Craig 8. Total fouls—Parker 20, Craig 25.
Jan 7, 2009 at 11:28 p.m.
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Coach Masterson really has these kids on the right path. I truly think Parker has found a coach that has the kids and the development of a long range program on the right path. Good luck Parker and to Coach M
Jan 7, 2009 at 1 p.m.
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I agree. As long as you play your best and hardest, that's the best you can do. When a team is up by 25+ points and still has their starters in well into the fourth quarter, shooting 3 pointers and trying to alley oop, and you didn't react to it or get down, just kept playing, that says a lot about your character. It's unfortunate that 11 players on the Craig bench didn't get much time in the game. Keep working hard, it will pay off in your sports and life.
Jan 7, 2009 at 9:30 a.m.
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I could not not be more proud of a team as Iam of the Parker Boys team. They hang in there and work hard. It will change around. Congratulations guys, just by your attitude you will suceed in life, Thank you..
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