Box Score MATOON, Ill. – Parkland point guard Yaakema Rose Jr. hit a game-winning three-pointer with 2.9 seconds remaining to lift the Cobras past Lake Land Community College, 82-81, on Saturday afternoon. The Rose Jr. three capped off a 23-2 run to end the game, erasing a 20-point deficit in the second half. With the win, the Cobras improve to 5-0 on the season.
 
In-bounding the ball under its own basket, following a block by Lake Land, with 4.9 seconds left, Parkland found an open Rose Jr. in the corner for the game-winner. A last ditch, half-court shot by the Lakers on the ensuing inbound nearly sunk the Cobras, but rimmed out as time expired.
 
Highlighted by the game-winning shot, Rose Jr. led the Cobras in scoring with 18 points, while also adding in four assists, four rebounds and two steals. Bruno Williams Jr. finished one point behind Rose Jr. with 17 and brought down seven rebounds to go along with three assists. Also, in double figures, Charles Campbell Jr. and Ty'Ohn Trimble each tallied 12 points while Mark Emmanuel scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds off the bench.
 
With the Cobras slow out of the gate, Lake Land controlled the early goings by executing in the paint to lead the Cobras by double digits for most of the first half. With chances to cut into the lead, the Cobras were unable to hit three-point attempts, and also struggled from the free throw line, resulting in a 47-28 deficit heading into halftime.
 
Parkland roared back after the break with a run to cut the lead to eight within the first five minutes of the second half. The run was capped by a breakaway dunk by Charles Campbell Jr., and another uncontested steal and layup from Rose Jr. However, Lake Land recovered and pushed the lead back out to 20 with six minutes remaining in the game.
 
Facing what appeared to be an insurmountable 20-point deficit with six minutes remaining, Parkland tightened up their defense and got hot from beyond the arc to fuel a relentless, 23-2 comeback. Aiding the onslaught was the Cobras cleaning up their own misses to the tune of 16 offensive rebounds.
 
With the Lake Land lead trimmed to 81-79, the home team inbounded the ball under their own basket with 20 seconds remaining. After Parkland gave a foul with 12 seconds left, the Lakers missed the front end of a one-and-one with the Cobras controlling the rebound. Pushing the ball following the rebound, Parkland pushed the ball down the court but had a shot at the rim blocked out of bounds with 4.9 seconds left. Following a timeout, the Cobra in-bounder found Rose Jr. spotted up in the corner for the game-winning three. After Parkland forced a Lake Land timeout on the ensuing inbound, the Lakers finally got the ball in and got off a half-court prayer that rimmed out as time expired.
 
Up next, the Cobras will host its first home game of the season on Tuesday, November 21, when they host Indiana Elite Prep at 7 p.m. central time.