WEST MEMPHIS, AR. - The No. 7 Parkland men's basketball team opened its 2019-20 campaign this weekend, splitting two games in the Greyhound Classic in Arkansas. The Cobras defeated National Park College, 87-72, and then were defeated by Arkansas Mid-South, 56-67.
Bruno Williams Jr. led the team in each game in both scoring and rebounding.
In game 1 (National Park), Friday night, the Cobras started slowly, conceding the first 8 points. They responded, however, with a 10-0 run and never trailed again. Stingy defense combined with 13 of 21 free throw attempts led to a 39-28 halftime lead, as both teams shot relatively poorly (38%) from the field.
Bruno Williams Jr. (23 points, 3 assists, 8 rebounds) and
Tommy Makabu (17 points) led the team offensively, combining for 5 for 5 from beyond the arc.
According to Coach
Anthony Figueroa, the Cobras came out hot in the 2
nd half, leading by as many as 20 points. The Nighthawks, however, closed to within 10 with 3 minutes remaining, when
Charles Campbell Jr. (13 points, 6 rebounds) provided a 3-pointer and, soon after, a dunk.
Carter Jeffries (12 points) came off the bench to contribute to the offense. Coach Figueroa stated that
Samuel Beesley (7 rebounds) and
Oliver Hedger (5 rebounds) added some solid defensive contributions off the bench.
In game 2 (Arkansas Mid-South), on Saturday, Parkland started strong, building a 31-22 lead, until AMS went on a run to close the halftime gap to 36-31. The Cobras were 0-7 from the arc at that point, but were 14-20 from the free throw line. Offensive leaders were
Bruno Williams Jr. (19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals) and
Joey Saracco (15 points) with 13 and 11 points, respectively, at the midway point.
In the second half, the Greyhounds took control, outscoring the Cobras 36-20. According to Coach Figueroa, the team struggled to find any rhythm. Parkland made a small run, cutting the deficit to 6, but AMS responded with 6 points of its own. The Cobras finished 0-15 from the 3-point line and were out-rebounded 28-39, however, Williams Jr.,
Carter Jeffries (7 points, 2 steals), and
Samuel Beesley (4 rebounds, 2 steals) led the team to 8 total steals.
Up next, the Cobras continue their road swing to start the 2019-20 season with two games in the North Central Classic in Trenton, Missouri, next Friday and Saturday, November 8-9.