Box Score INA, Ill.—January 17, 2025— Playing without its leading scorer, the No. 4 Parkland College Men's Basketball team came up just short Saturday afternoon, falling 84–85 to Rend Lake College in a tightly contested road matchup.
Despite the absence of Jaiden Martin, the Cobras showed resilience and balance throughout the game. Nick Harrell led Parkland with 20 points, stepping up offensively in extended minutes. Grant Chamberlain and Trey Welter each scored 15 points, providing key production as Parkland stayed within striking distance until the final possession.
Head coach John Bowler credited Rend Lake's execution and emphasized the importance of learning from close finishes:
"Credit goes to Rend Lake. They are a good team and well coached. They just got us tonight. We just didn't make enough winning plays down the stretch. We have left the door open for our opponents in the last two games and it burned us. We need to learn from our experiences and translate it to closing these games in the future."
The Cobras traded runs with Rend Lake throughout the afternoon and remained composed in a hostile environment, but ultimately saw the one-point margin go the Lakers' way.
With the loss, Parkland moves to 15–4 on the season.
Up next, the Cobras will continue their road stretch with a trip to Godfrey, Illinois, to face Lewis & Clark Community College on Sunday, January 19, with tipoff scheduled for 3 PM CST.
For more information about Parkland College Athletics, visit
www.parklandcobras.com or follow @ParklandCobras on social media.
