• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Verona rolls past Parker

VERONA — Janesville Parker’s boys basketball team played Verona tough for a half Thursday night.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, it was the second half after the Wildcats raced out to an 18-point halftime lead en route to a 69-48 Big Eight Conference victory.

Taylor Peterson had 14 of his game-high 18 points in the first half to help Verona improve to 8-5 in the conference and 11-6 overall.

“Verona is a really, really good team,” Parker coach Ryan Masterson said. “They are going to be a tough out in the sectional. They are so fundamentally sound. I thought the difference, in my opinion, was they just killed us on the boards in the first quarter.”

Parker (3-13, 1-12) was outrebounded 9-1 in the opening quarter, but pulled within 12-10 after Tyler Teubert’s driving lay-up down the lane.

However, Verona responded on its next possession.

Kaden Nauman made a three-pointer from the wing before being fouled by Jordan Thompson. After completing the four-point play, Nauman added a steal and lay-up to ignite a 15-0 Verona run for a 27-10 lead and Parker never recovered.

Nauman finished with 11 points, and Peterson added seven straight points to finish off the blitz.

“We had a good first half,” Verona coach Alan Buss said. “We really emphasized getting the ball inside a little bit more tonight. We finished those shots too, which is something we have struggled with a little bit.”

They didn’t seem to struggle Thursday, as Verona made 14 of 29 first half shots (48 percent), while Parker was seven of 25 (28 percent).

Teubert led the Vikings with 14 points. Creed Knutson added 13 and Jordan Thompson finished with 11 points.

“We didn’t back down and we battled in the second half,” Masterson added. “I think we took some steps in the right direction. Verona is just a really good team. We just got in such a big hole it is tough to come back from.”

VERONA 69, PARKER 48

Parker (48)—Thompson, 3-3-11; Teubert, 7-0-14; Knutson, 4-4-13; Fiedler, 2-0-4; Schroeder, 2-0-4. Hyde, 1-0-2. Totals: 19-7-48.

Verona (69)—Nauman, 3-3-11, Karls, 2-0-5; Ray, 2-2-7; Wadzinski, 4-0-9; Peterson, 8-2-18; Brandt, 0-2-2; Burns, 1-0-2; Christensen, 4-0-8; Braxton, 2-0-4; Dunn, 1-0-3. Totals: 27-9-69.

Janesville Parker 10 8 14 16—48

Verona 20 16 15 18—69

Three-point goals—Parker 3 (Thompson 2, Knutson). Verona 6 (Nauman 2, Ray, Wadzinski, Karls, Dunn) Free throws missed—Parker 5, Verona 0. Total fouls—Parker 11, Verona 16.

Sophomores—Verona 66, Parker 59. Parker leading scorers— Erik Albeck, 18, Andrew Somerville, 17.