D-C dodges bullet

Prairie Ridge's Nick Margiotta (left) jumps to block a shot by Dundee-Crown's Will Stupar during the third quarter of their Fox Valley Conference Valley Division game Wednesday in Carpentersville. Dundee-Crown won, 44-39. (Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com)

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

CARPENTERSVILLE – Dundee-Crown’s Cordero Parson thought coach Lance Huber was joking when he told his sophomore guard to hang around for postgame interviews with reporters.

But Parson’s penchant for closing out quarters was crucial in helping the Chargers hold off Prairie Ridge, 44-39, in their Fox Valley Conference Valley Division boys basketball game Wednesday night.

“He was humongous,” Huber said. “Those two buckets at the end of quarters were big. In this game, all the baskets were big.”

Parson’s most memorable play was an assist in the final minute. With the score tied at 39, he drove from the left wing and attracted two other defenders, then whipped a pass to forward Thomas McNally for a layup and a three-point play.

Those were the deciding points as D-C (15-7 overall, 8-1 FVC Valley) averted the upset from the Wolves (5-18, 1-8). The victory sets up a showdown for first place at 7 p.m. Saturday at Huntley (20-2, 9-0).

“I just wanted to move around and find an open lane,” Parson said. “I just drove and found an open man, and he scored.”

McNally was fouled by Nick Margiotta and converted the free throw. Bruce Dantzler later added a pair of free throws for the final margin.

“That was definitely a good possession,” McNally said. “We worked the ball around and Cordero made a great play to suck up all the defenders.”

Parson closed the first quarter with a driving layup and ended the third by pulling up for a 10-footer in the lane.

“That’s how we set it up,” he said. “We just ran our play and executed, and I drove to the basket.”

Prairie Ridge did not look like a last-place team as it jumped to an 18-10 lead in the second quarter. Even late in the game, after the Wolves fell behind, 39-33, they fought back to tie.

“The last four games, we’ve played pretty good basketball,” Wolves coach Corky Card said. “We’re playing better as a team.”

Prairie Ridge had an open shot to take a lead with before Parson made his play to set up McNally. Sophomore guard Michael Bradshaw, who led all players with 12 points, could not get a 15-footer from the right baseline to fall with 1:30 remaining.

“The last few games, we’ve been in every one,” said forward Sean Valentine, who scored eight points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for Prairie Ridge. “We had a chance to win at the end, and that’s a position you want to be in.”

Valentine had another good look from the right corner to tie after McNally’s three-point play, but it was a bit long.

“You know when you play Prairie Ridge they’re going to fight and claw and scrap all the way,” Huber said. “Their record’s deceptive. They got such a late start with their football players [who played on a 6A state championship team]. They’re starting to get their whole act together.”