Kenosha, Wis. - After an eight-day break, the Parkside Rangers resumed play against Clarke University at De Simone Arena on Monday. Parkside struggled from behind the arc in the first half but found their stroke, riding the momentum to an 82-56 victory.
Inside the box score:
- Jake Dunham recorded his first collegiate double-double, tallying a career-high 17 points while sinking five threes
- Colin O'Rourke led the way with 21 points on 70% shooting
- It was a career night for Rokas Castillo, who knocked down four triples and finished with 16 points
How it happened:
The first half was frustrating for Parkside, as Clarke's defense forced them to shoot from the perimeter throughout. Parkside struggled to find their stroke, shooting just 9-25 from deep in the half. In fact, they attempted only nine shots inside the perimeter in the first 20 minutes of action. Clarke led by as much as ten points, benefiting from Parkside's lackadaisical shooting. Key shots from Colin O'Rourke kept Parkside in the game early on, finishing with eight points. Ethan Ivan hit a triple as time winded down, giving Parkside a one-point edge heading into halftime.
In the second half, it was all business for Parkside. Within just three minutes, they had increased their lead to double digits, with O'Rourke contributing six points in that span. Jake Dunham had a massive night, cleaning the glass all night long and connecting with four triples in the second half alone. He tied Parkside's season high with 13 rebounds in a single game. Rokas Castillo came alive in the second half, being one of three players to record double figures and scoring 13 in the second half.
Parkside pulled away, getting multiple players involved in the scoring column. Austin Ambrose and Sanmi Fajana contributed, combining for nine points. Fajana put the exclamation point on the game with a big dunk in the final minute of action. Parkside outscored Clarke 49-24 in the final 20 minutes.
Parkside connected 20 three pointers on the night and finished shooting 45% from beyond the arc. This marks one of the best shooting performances in recent Parkside history. In addition, both Josiah Palmer and Javon Johnson both recorded six assists. This was the seventh game Palmer notched at least five assists and the second time Johnson reached that mark.
Up next:
Parkside hits the road tomorrow to take on Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois. The game is slated to begin at 3:00 pm. For coverage of the event, visit ParksideRangers.com/coverage.
