KENOSHA, Wis. – Parkside men's basketball saw its three-game winning streak snapped in the GLIAC opener Thursday night, falling 82-78 in a back-and-forth battle with Northern Michigan at DeSimone Arena. The Wildcats picked up their fourth straight win to move to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in league play, while the Rangers dropped to 3-2 and 0-1 in the conference.
Both offenses came out firing in a first half that featured 12 lead changes and six ties. Northern Michigan jumped out to a 12-3 lead behind a trio of early 3-pointers, but Parkside responded with a surge of its own, led by senior guard Paxton Warden. Warden poured in 19 first-half points, attacking the rim in transition and knocking down three shots from beyond the arc. Luka Mateski added timely scoring inside and at the free-throw line as the Rangers shot 50 percent from the field and 62 percent from three in the opening 20 minutes, sending the game to halftime tied 40-40.
Out of the break, the Wildcats gradually seized control behind their veteran core. Northern opened the second half on a series of efficient possessions, turning defense into offense and riding the hot hand of guard Cal Klesmit. The Wildcats built their first double-digit lead at 64-53 with just over nine minutes remaining, capitalizing on second-chance opportunities and a rare cold stretch from Parkside's perimeter shooters.
Parkside refused to go away, trimming the deficit multiple times in the final four minutes. Mateski powered through contact in the lane and continued his perfect night at the line, while Warden, Josiah Palmer and Braden McGlothlin helped fuel a late push. Palmer buried a 3-pointer with four seconds left to pull the Rangers within 80-78, but Northern converted at the stripe on the ensuing possession and a last-second Parkside heave came up short.
Warden led the Rangers with a season-high 23 points, going 9-for-19 from the field and 3-for-7 from 3-point range, while adding four rebounds and three assists. Mateski matched him with 23 points of his own, shooting 6-for-10 from the floor and 10-for-10 at the free-throw line. The junior forward also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out four assists in 34 minutes.
Palmer finished with nine points, all coming from beyond the arc on 3-for-7 3-point shooting, and added two rebounds and an assist. Off the bench, Jake Dunham provided a spark with eight points on 2-for-2 from deep and 2-for-2 at the line, while Ethan Ivan chipped in six points on 2-for-3 shooting from long range. Fawaz Surakat added five points and five rebounds, and McGlothlin contributed four points, three assists and two steals as Parkside shot 47.2 percent from the field, 45.8 percent from three (11-for-24) and 85 percent at the line.
Northern Michigan was led by a career night from Klesmit, who scored 30 points on 9-for-19 shooting, including 6-for-10 from 3-point range and a perfect 6-for-6 at the stripe. He added five rebounds and two steals while playing 34 minutes. Forward Dylan Kuehl turned in a complete effort with 18 points on 8-for-19 shooting, a team-high seven rebounds and a career-high seven assists, repeatedly creating for teammates out of ball screens and in transition.
Charlie Miller added 10 points, four assists and three rebounds, while Trevor Polite delivered 10 points on a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. Off the bench, Sam Privet chipped in eight points and three rebounds in 23 minutes. The Wildcats shot 47.7 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from 3-point range (10-for-23), and went 10-for-13 at the free-throw line.
Northern also owned the key "extra" categories, finishing with a 32-31 edge on the glass and turning 12 offensive rebounds into 15 second-chance points. The Wildcats committed just five turnovers while turning Parkside's 11 miscues into 15 points, a critical difference in a game that went down to the final possession.
Parkside will look to bounce back quickly as it continues GLIAC opening weekend on Saturday, Dec. 6, when the Rangers host Michigan Tech at 3 p.m. CT at DeSimone Arena.
To keep up with the Rangers, be sure to visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.
