Wolverines take 8-point lead defeating Parma 64-56

On Friday, Jan. 19, the Weiser Wolverines hosted the Parma Panthers for an SRV conference game. Both teams had similar records when comparing games against mutual opponents this season, making the game highly anticipated. 

 Weiser emerged as the victors, winning by 8 points with a final score of 64-56.

 Josh Mizar had an impressive performance for the Wolverines, leading the team in scoring with 20 points. Kolin Cook also had a robust night for Weiser, scoring 19 points. 

 Weiser started the game strong sinking three 3-pointers before Parma could even score. The first 3-pointer came at 7:30 when Jack Shirts made a jump shot from the top after driving up the court. Back on offense, Cook then faked a pass, and when the defense committed to the fake, he was open for a 3. Next, Mizar made the third 3-pointer from the corner after receiving an excellent pass from Braden Philips at the top. 

 The Wolverines cooled off for the next five and a half minutes, while Parma put 10 points on the board. With 23 seconds left in the first, and after a Mizar steal, Carter Jensen passed the ball to Shirts, who made a floater in the paint. 

 With a missed shot from Parma, Weiser quickly pushed the ball up to about the half-court line, where Cook was able to get a shot off at the buzzer, sinking Weiser’s fourth 3-pointer of the quarter. At the end of the first, the score was Weiser 14, Parma 10. 

 The teams traded baskets early in the second until Parma tied the game at 23 all with a deep 3, three minutes into the quarter. 

 A couple of minutes later, the Panthers took the lead after a made free throw, making the score Weiser 23, Parma 24.

 The final three minutes of the half belonged to Weiser as they scored 12 points while Parma only added 2. It started with Jensen at the top finding Mizar open in the corner for a 3. Next time on offense, Cook at the top passed the ball to Mizar for a deep, 3-pointer. The quarter ended with Mizar getting a long rebound and scoring yet another 3.  

 Going into the break, Weiser was up by 9, with a score of 35 to 26.

 The Weiser Wolverines maintained their 9-point lead in the third quarter. In the early minutes of the second half, Phillips added 2 with a nice bucket, and then Cook made a jump shot near the elbow. 

 Closer to the end of the third, Weiser’s Cook, who was positioned at the top, passed the ball to Jensen at the wing and set him up for a 3-pointer with just 2:45 remaining. 

 With 14 seconds to go, Funke was stopped in the paint passed the ball to Dolton, who made a smooth shot for 2. 

 After 3 quarters it was 49-40 in Weiser’s favor.

 The scoring in the fourth started with Cook making a drive past Parma’s defense for 2 points, followed by an assist from Jensen to Cook for another 3-pointer. During this time, Parma was able to narrow the score gap to 6 points, but Weiser kept playing well adding a few points of their own.  

 With just 2 minutes left, Herrera got his own rebound and scored, increasing Weiser’s lead to 10 points. Shortly after, Phillips made an excellent pass to Herrera, who was cutting hard to the basket, and scored a nice lay-in. 

 Cook finished the game with a fast break and a jump stop lay-in, as the Panther defense ran by, moving the Wolverines to an 8-point lead and a 64-56 win. 

 Along with Mizar’s 20 points and Cook’s 19, Shirts scored 9 points, while Jensen and Herrera each scored 5, and Phillips added 2. Mizar also led Weiser in rebounds with 13 and Shirts had 8. Cook had 5 assists. 

 Weiser will play next in Fruitland on Thursday, Jan. 25, and then in Payette on Saturday, Jan. 27.    

 Scores at the end of quarters:

Weiser Parma

1st: 14 10

2nd: 35 26    

3rd: 49 40

4th: 64 56