QUINCY, Ill. – Parkland women's basketball won its second conference game in a row to John Wood Community College (6-10) on Saturday, January 11. For the second game in a row, Maliah Sparks put up 20 points and Stacie Vonderheide recorded a double-double. 
 
"This was an impressive team victory for the ladies," Parkland head coach Jean Demosthenes said after the win. "We continue to emphasize the importance of playing strong Cobra defense, and they delivered tonight. John Wood is an excellent shooting team, and our players did a fantastic job contesting their three-point attempts."
 
Parkland (10-7) got off to a strong start, outscoring the Blazers 21-10 in the first quarter. The Cobras maintained the lead in the second quarter, but a John Wood 3-pointer cut the lead to nine points in the final seconds of the half. The Blazers continued to put up a fight in the third quarter, coming within three points of the Cobras with just two minutes on the clock. Parkland maintained its composure, extending the lead back to ten after a Maliah Sparks layup with nine seconds on the clock. Sparks scored half her points in the fourth quarter (20 points, 5 assists, 5 steals), propelling the Cobras to a 16-point win. 
 
"There is still a lot of work ahead, and we will continue to focus on staying out of foul trouble," Demosthenes added. "Overall, this group showed great character by giving a 19-point lead at halftime to 3 points in the third period and finding the will to pull away with a 16-point win!"
 
Statistical Overview: 
Maliah Sparks: 20 points, 5 assists, 5 steals
Trinity Harden: 11 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists
Stacie Vonderheide: 12 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists
Danielle Ruffin: 11 points, 3 assists, 2 steals
Sofiia Fedina: 9 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists
 
Up next, the Cobras play Spoon River College (3-10) on Saturday, January 18. The game is scheduled for 5:30 PM in Canton, Illinois.