Champaign, IL - It was a stout task for the Illinois Central College Men's Basketball team (6-14 Overall, 2-4 Region 24), with the seventh-ranked Parkland Cobras (19-2 Overall, 5-1 Region 24) on the other sideline. The Cougars did win in East Peoria last year, so back-to-back series wins would be a feather in the cap. Alas, the Cobras took control and pulled away in the second half, on their way to a 91-73 win over the Cougars.
The Cougars' first four points came from Rickey Woods III, as ICC was trading baskets with the Cobras in the game's infancy. Isaiah Payne would knock down a trey to cut it to a six-point margin at 13-7. However, Parkland would counter with consistent shooting from the perimeter (and one lay-in in the paint) to swell the lead to 14 points at 21-7 with around 11 minutes until the half.
A pull-up jumper from Idris Thomas from just inside the three-point arc got the game back to a nine point margin with around seven minutes until the break, but Parkland promptly answered on the other end to get it back up to 11.
With Parkland's lead slowly swelling up to as many as 16, Thomas would continue his quality half of basketball with an and-one to return the game to 11 points at 36-25 Parkland with still three minutes until halftime. On the next trip down, a trey from Woods made it an eight point game. It would be Woods again, this time using free throws to cut it to a two-possession game at 36-30.
The Cobra defense would force a shot clock violation on ICC, but the Cougars were able to get a stop of their own and set the halftime score of 41-30 Parkland.
The Cobras would maintain control, perhaps even get stronger control in the second half, with the lead quickly getting up to 20+ points, keeping the ICC offense from finding any rhythm.
A layup from RJ Davitz would trim the Parkland lead to 16 at 71-55 with around seven minutes to play. A tough bank-in shot from Shamar Grant cut it to 15 at 77-62 with 5:00 left. From there, it was tight-knit basketball, as the Cobras only out-scored ICC 14-11 the rest of the way.
COUGAR STATISTICS
Idris Thomas | 22 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists
Rickey Woods III | 21 points (8-9 free throws)
RJ Davitz | 7 points, 3 rebounds
Isaiah Payne | 6 points, 4 assists
Jaylen Brown | 5 points
Shamar Grant | 4 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Anthony Allison Jr. | 4 points, 3 rebounds
Cooper Knoll | 2 points
Azarion Richardson | 2 points
Jeremiah Tate | 3 rebounds
Michael Womer | 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Payton Cook | 2 rebounds
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
@ Lewis & Clark Trailblazers (5-15 Overall, 2-5 Region 24)
at River Bend Arena - Godfrey, Illinois
Wednesday, January 29th - 7:30 PM
Watch Live (YouTube)
