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Parker loses close one

JANESVILLE — The final score and the team’s record do not reflect Parker’s level of play Saturday after another loss, this time a 51-47 Big Eight Conference defeat at the hands of Middleton.

For the first time all season, the Viking boys put together four competitive quarters and had several opportunities to win in the final two minutes. An untimely turnover and clutch free-throw shooting by Middleton decided the game.

Two successive Parker possessions in the crucial final half of the fourth quarter saw Creed Knutson fouled on three-point attempts. He converted on five of six from the line to keep Parker in the game. After a three-point goal by Jordan Thompson, Parker pulled out a 42-36 lead, but the Cardinals came back behind hot shooting from Matt Everson and Brooks Braga who each hit three-point shots down the stretch.

With Parker clinging to a 45-44 lead, two Cardinals—Shane Adler and Skyler Yaktus—each made field goals, their only points of the game, to put Middleton up 48-45 with 51 seconds left.

Knutson scored to bring the Vikings within one, and Parker got the ball back on a Cardinal turnover but gave the ball back on a turnover on its next possession.

In the final 24 seconds, Parker was forced to foul and Middleton converted on three of four chances to close out the scoring.

“We played a good, hard 32 minutes tonight, and that’s something we have been working on but not achieving,” said Parker head coach Ryan Masterson. “It wasn’t our night for the win, but I thought they played very well.”

Masterson said the team’s goal was to hold Middleton to 12-point quarters.

“We were close to that,” he said. “I thought we played well, defensively.”

Parker’s offense sputtered occasionally, especially when confronted by Middleton’s full-court press. Parker handled it well in the first half, but came out in the third quarter with three turnovers in a row.

MIDDLETON 51, PARKER 47

Middleton (51)—Adler, 1-0-2; Braga, 2-0-4; Everson, 8-1-21; Nunnery, 2-1-5; Hudson, 3-0-6; Yaktus, 1-2-4; Owen, 2-5-9. Totals 18-10-51.

Parker (47)—Simonson, 2-0-5; Thompson, 3-2-11; Teubert, 0-1-1; C. Knutson, 5-5-17; Husen, 2-5-9; Fiedler, 0-2-2; Bouska, 1-0-2. Totals: 13-15-47.

Middleton 4 12 17 18—51

Janesville Parker 10 10 12 15—47

Three-point goals—Middleton 5 (Everson 4, Braga), Parker 6 (Thompson 3, C. Knutson 2, Simonson), Free throws missed—Middleton 5, Parker 7. Total fouls—Middleton 19, Parker 15.

Sophomores: Middleton 48, Parker 26. Parker leading scorer: Connor Long, 10.