CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The No. 1 Parkland College men's basketball team pulled away late to earn its 14th straight win over Edison State Community College on Friday, December 22. The Cobras (14-0) trailed the Chargers (6-6) by as many as seven points in the first half, but Parkland shot over 57 percent from the field in the second half to close out the visitors and complete the season sweep over Edison State CC. The Cobras outrebounded the Chargers 37-30 and outscored them 48-32 in the paint. Sophomore Jabryn Anderson (24 points, 8-11 FT) led all scorers, and sophomore Tye Banks (11 points, 10 rebounds) recorded a double-double in the hard-fought win.
 
"I love this team's resiliency," second-year head coach John Bowler said after the 89-72 win. "Second half, we came out, and scored 50 points by finishing plays."
 
"They did a really good job speeding us up in the first half, and we were a little bit antsy in the wrong way, which turned into some bad plays and some uncertainty, so hopefully, we can get that out of our system," Bowler continued, "But holding them to 39 in the second half, defensively was how we separated ourselves, and we fed off the crowd's energy too."
 
Both offenses started strong, and the Cobras held an early 10-8 lead following an Isaac Mapson III three-point play with 15:51 left in the first half. The Chargers battled back quickly, taking a 13-12 lead and calling timeout with 13:22 on the clock as the two teams eased into the game. Parkland led by as many as five points with 11:54 until halftime, but Edison State rallied to take the lead closer to halftime. The Chargers led 29-22 following a three-point play with 6:47 to go, but the Cobras closed the gap, and a 12-2 run before halftime gave Parkland a 39-36 lead at the break. In the second half, Edison State quickly regained the lead, remaining in front until a fastbreak jumper from Drew Lewis Jr. put Parkland ahead 54-52 with 12:16 left. The Chargers called timeout with the game tied 61-61 with 9:29 on the clock, and the Cobras caught fire, kickstarting a 13-2 run to lead 74-63 with 4:33 remaining. Edison State finally started to hit three-pointers late, but it was too little, too late, as Parkland pulled away late to win 89-72.
  
Scoring Summary:
Jabryn Anderson: 24 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
Isaac Mapson III: 15 points, 8 rebounds
Tye Banks: 11 points, 10 rebounds
Brylan Phillips: 11 points, 3 rebounds
Drew Lewis Jr.: 11 points, 3 rebounds
Ken Sallee: 11 points
 
Up next, the Cobras return to action in 2024 on the road with a game at Glen Oaks Community College on Saturday, January 6. Tip-off against the Vikings (8-5) is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. in Centreville, Michigan.