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Vikings can't answer Badgers' late flurry

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Photo by Dan Lassiter

Parker's Danny Husen loses the ball driving between Lake Geneva Badger's William Swanson, left, and Brendan Gruenwald-Schmitz.

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

Lake Geneva Badger's William Swanson pressures Parker's Cody Simonson.

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

Parker's Danny Husen loses the ball driving between Lake Geneva Badger's William Swanson, left, and Brendan Gruenwald-Schmitz.

LAKE GENEVA — Janesville Parker High School’s boys season ended Tuesday with an 80-66 loss to Lake Geneva Badger in a WIAA Division 1 semifinal game.

But all was not lost this season for the Vikings. Despite finishing with a 5-18 record, they enjoyed their first two-game season sweep of cross-town rival Craig since 1982.

Meanwhile, Badger (7-16) advanced to a regional title game against top-seeded Beloit Memorial (15-7) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Barkin Arena in Beloit. The winner will return to Barkin Arena for next week’s sectional.

Parker battled the Badgers for three quarters, but the Vikings couldn’t keep up in the final period. Badger went into the fourth quarter with a 54-51 lead, then stretched it to 64-53 with a 10-2 opening run, led by two three-point goals from Preston Dailey and one from Laramie Wieseman.

Parker got Badger’s lead back to eight at 64-56, but the home team went on another 10-2 run, making it 74-58, leaving the Vikings with a hill too tough to climb.

Statistically, Parker lost the game from the free-throw line. Both teams scored 54 points from the field on 24 field goals, including six three-point baskets apiece. But the Badgers sank 26 free throws to just 12 for Parker for the 14-point winning margin.

Badger went to the free-throw line 33 times, while Parker made 20 trips to the stripe. The Badgers were called for 14 fouls, compared to Parker’s 24.

The Vikings’ season-ending loss overshadowed a season-best offensive performance by Parker senior Tyler Teubert. The 6-3 forward scored 28 points to lead all scorers.

Parker senior Jordan Thompson had 16 points, while junior Creed Knutson added 18.

Senior guard Justin Bowers scored 27 points to pace Badger. Four Badger starters scored in double figures, including Dailey with 18, Wieseman with 13 and Clinton Andresen with 12.

Parker coach Ryan Masterson said he knew Badger was capable of scoring a lot of points, but he said the Vikings’ defense could been better.

“I was disappointed that we didn’t do a better job rebounding, and I thought we could have done better on weak-side help,” Masterson said. “We didn’t pick up their penetration well, but they didn’t do anything we didn’t expect. We prepared well, but just didn’t execute.”

Badger coach Tom Dummer said the key to his team’s offensive surge in the fourth quarter was defensive pressure on Parker.

“That pressure resulted in turnovers, and it provided us with run-outs,” he said. “That was the key to our offense.”

Masterson said he thinks this season’s seniors have provided a foundation for next year’s team to build upon.

“The seniors have given us a lot,” he said. “I’m hoping that our juniors will improve on what they have done—to play with defensive intensity we have shown at times and with a continuing tough attitude.”

Dummer said his team is ready for a tough game against Beloit, which earned a first-round bye.

“Beloit is a very good team, so we’ll have to be able to handle their pressure,” he said. “If we can be strong enough to force them to help, we can get good shots.”

BADGER 80, PARKER 66

Parker (67)—Thompson, 5-2-16; Teubert, 12-4-28; Knutson, 5-6-18; Schroeder, 2-0-4. Totals: 24-12-66.

Badger (80)—Greunwald-Schmitz, 1-1-3; Dailey, 6-3-18; Andersen, 2-7-12; Bowers, 9-9-27; Swanson, 1-1-3; Wieseman, 5-1-13; Meinen, 0-4-4. Totals: 24-26-80.

Janesville Parker 17 18 16 15—66

Lake Geneva Badger 21 15 18 26—80

Three-point goals—Parker 6 (Thompson 4, Knutson 2), Badger 6 (Dailey 3, Wieseman 2, Andersen). Free throws missed—Parker 8, Badger 7. Total fouls—Parker 21, Badger 15.