CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The No. 1 ranked Parkland College men's basketball team bounced back from its first loss of the season with an 84-50 win over Lewis & Clark Community College on Saturday, January 13. The Cobras (16-1) built an early first-half lead over the Trailblazers (2-10) and cruised to their first conference win. Parkland held Lewis & Clark CC to 18-67 (27%) from the field and 7-27 (26%) from three, outscoring the Trailblazers 50-18 in the paint. Sophomore Isaac Mapson III led all scorers with 24 points, and sophomore Tye Banks (20 points, 11 rebounds) produced his second career double-double in the win.
 
"This was a culture win," Parkland head coach John Bowler said after the game. "We've got a culture in place that is built on winning. It's pretty special how (this team) is able to bounce back from that loss so quickly."
 
"It's great to see. I loved it out there and love seeing the guys fly around and hustle," Bowler added. "I think it just shows that our culture is here to stay."
 
"We need to continue to play with that level of intensity," Bowler continued. "Obviously, the games continue to add more pressure, and there continues to be more intensity, so as we go along, we have to be on all the time. We can't wait until we lose to then bring that level of energy and intensity."
 
The Cobras took control early as the Trailblazers started the game cold from beyond the arc, calling timeout after falling behind 15-5 with 13:39 to go in the first half. Lewis & Clark cut the deficit to 23-16 midway through the half, but a 6-0 Parkland run put the Cobras up 29-16 with 6:20 until halftime. The Cobras held the Trailblazers without a point for the final six minutes of the first half, going into halftime on a 13-0 run with a 42-18 lead. In the second half, Lewis & Clark CC closed the gap to 20 points with just over 16 minutes to play, but the hosts put together a 10-0 run to extend their lead to 62-34 with 11:11 remaining. Parkland led by as many as 35 points with seven minutes left, and the Cobras coasted to an 84-50 win.
 
Scoring Summary:
Isaac Mapson III: 24 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
Tye Banks: 20 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists
Drew Lewis Jr.: 16 points, 3 rebounds
Will Applegate: 11 points
John Shuey: 9 points, 6 rebounds
Brylan Phillips: 4 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists
 
Up next, the Cobras take on conference rivals Danville Area Community College at home on Wednesday, January 17. Tip-off against the Jaguars (8-5) is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Donald C. Dodds Jr. Athletic Complex.