CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – No. 15 Parkland men's basketball led for the final 39 minutes, and held a double-digit lead for the final 31 minutes, as the Cobras routed Indiana Elite Prep, 94-56, on Tuesday night. With the win, the Cobras improve to 6-0 on the season.
 
Winning its first home game of the 2018 season, Parkland shot 54.3% from the field while holding Indiana Elite to just 28.6% shooting, including 12.9% (4-31) from three-point range. The Cobras held their biggest advantage in the paint where the Cobras outscored their opponent, 50-24. Parkland also controlled the turnover battle, turning Indiana Elite over 25 times while only giving up 11 of their own.
 
Individually, the Cobras were led by Charles Campbell Jr. (14), Yaakema Rose Jr. (13), Darin Bellinger (11) and Joey Saracco (11) who each scored in double figures. The Cobras' bigs also held their own the glass as Bellinger and Saracco also led the Cobras rebounding effort with eight and six boards, respectively.
 
Only trailing for the first minute of the game off an Indiana Elite three pointer on the opening possession, the Cobras took the lead at 18:43 on a dunk by Charles Campbell Jr. A 7-0 run by Rose Jr. extended the lead out to 10-7, and then a 10-2 run extended the lead from 12-8 to 22-10 with four of the points coming from Campbell Jr. in route to a team-leading 12 points in the first half.
 
After three-point play from the visitors cut the lead to single digits, 24-13, a 7-0 run by Carter Jefferies pushed the lead back to double digits for good. From there, the Cobras continued to build its lead at the free throw line. Making 12 of 14 from the charity stripe in the first half, the Cobras made seven straight free throws in the final five minutes of the half and led 50-26 at the break.
 
Coming out of the locker room, Parkland kept the pressure on with a 29-12 run in the first 12 minutes to remove all doubt. Starting the run was four straight made field goals from Bellinger – two jump shots, a three-pointer and a dunk to cap it off. Joey Saracco, Tommy Makabu and TyJuan Reid carried the torch for the next five minutes, as the trio scored the next 16 points for the Cobras. A layup by Williams Jr. capped off the run and gave Parkland its largest lead of the night, a 41-point lead of 79-38.
 
Despite Indiana Prep outscoring the Cobras 18-15 in the final eight minutes, the Cobras got the basket at will on the offensive end with six layups and a dunk to close out the game.
 
Coming off Thanksgiving break, Parkland will continue its three-game homestand with games on Monday, November 26, and Thursday, November 29. The Cobras will face Olivet Nazarene JV on Monday and Rose Hulman JV on Thursday.