CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – No. 4 Parkland men's basketball improved to 12-1 on the season after grinding out a 67-61 overtime victory against Division I Kankakee on Tuesday evening. Playing its first game since December 17 – a span of 22 days – the Cobras were lifted by sophomore point guard Yaakema Rose Jr. who led the team in points (20), rebounds (7) and assists (4).
 
Playing its second straight game against a Division I opponent, Parkland outscored Kankakee 12-6 in the extra five-minute period to seal the win. The Cobras took the lead for good 10 seconds into overtime when Jaden Coleman converted an and-one. With the Cavaliers still looming, 61-59, with 3:27 to go, the Cobras closed on a 6-2 run capped by a jumper and layup from Rose Jr. in the final 1:30.
 
Despite being outshot by Kankakee, Parkland won thanks in part to its rebounding effort on the offensive glass. Out-rebounding the Cavaliers by 12 overall, 41-29, the Cobras grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and converted them into 16-2 advantage in second-chance points.
 
Parkland also used its depth as an advantage in the victory, as the Cobra bench combined for 28 points to Kankakee's five points off the bench. Leading the bench mob, Jaden Coleman provided eight points, five rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes of action.
 
Reaching the 20-point threshold for the third time this season, Rose Jr. scored 14 of his team-leading 20 points after halftime. Of his 10 second-half points, eight came in the first eight minutes highlighted by a pair of three-pointers that helped push the Cobras' four-point halftime lead out to nine points. Parkland's go-to scorer this season, Rose Jr. delivered the decisive blow with the Cobras' final four points in overtime.
 
In addition to the 20 points, Rose Jr. notched a season-high seven rebounds to lead Parkland while also dishing out four assists. The four assists mark the seventh time this season that Rose Jr. has recorded four or more in a game.
 
In order to force overtime, Kankakee closed regulation on a 9-0 run in the final four minutes. Leading the team with a game-high 22 points, guard Vashawn Sims tied the game with 40 seconds left with two of his 13 free throws on the night. Parkland had chance to win it in regulation, but a last-second three from Rose Jr. was off the mark.
 
A physical and animated first half saw Parkland outscored Kankakee 27-23 in the first half, as 10 different Cobras scored in the opening 20 points. After Kankakee took an early, 8-2 lead, a 10-2 run by Parkland gave the Cobras its first lead of the game. The Cavaliers battled back to retake the lead, 23-19, before Parkland held the visitors without a point in the final 5:15 of the half in route to an 8-0 run.
 
Following a physical and animated first half that saw both teams shoot under 40 percent, the Cobras used a 13-8 run, jumpstarted by back-to-back threes from Darin Bellinger and Rose Jr., to take a 40-31 lead with 14:36 remaining. After Kankakee trimmed the lead back to four, a Tommy Makabu three ignited a 10-2 run to give the Cobras its biggest lead of the game, 50-40. The Cavaliers would again cut into the lead over the following two minutes, only to have Parkland push it back out to 55-46 on a Carter Jeffries three-pointer with 4:03 remaining. Held scoreless over the final four minutes, Parkland was unable to hit on any of its six field goal attempts.
 
Up next, Parkland will turn around and host Lincoln College JV in less than 48 hours at 6 p.m. on Thursday, January 10.