The annual Elementary Basketball League’s Super Saturday was especially super for one school Saturday morning.
The Parkside Pirates won both the girls and boys tournament championships, capping off a season in which both teams went undefeated. The Parkside girls won a hard-fought, defensive battle, defeating Southside 24-20 to win their second straight title, while the boys ran away with a 57-31 victory over CSA-Lincoln.
The girls game was tight from beginning to end. Although Parkside led the entire way, its largest lead was eight points at 20-12, coming at the end of the third quarter. Both teams played tough-nosed defense, but the Pirates were just a bit stingier.
Parkside was able to hold the Mustangs to just two points in each the second and third quarters. And although the Pirates scored a total of only nine points during that stretch, it was enough to hold off Southside for the victory.
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“I am proud of the way we fought defensively,” Parkside coach Kanan Hashman said. “We knew that we would probably have to hold Southside to under 25 points to win, and we were able to do that.”
In a game where points were at a premium, the Pirates’ Miley McClellan was able to tally 11 points to lead the way.
“I’m proud of my teammates for winning the championship and getting to feel what it’s like to win. We were confident and pumped up going into the game, so I’m glad it worked out,” McClellan said.
The Mustangs did not go down with a fight. Rachel Tinsley did her best to get her team back into the game, scoring all eight of her points in the final quarter, helping to cut Parkside’s lead to four, but that is as close as Southside would get.
“We had a goal to win the league and the tournament and go undefeated, and we were able to accomplish that this year,” Hashman said.
In the boys game, Parkside bolted out of the gates and never looked back. The Pirates led 17-4 after the first quarter, led by Keaton Lawson, who scored eight of his game-high 14 points in the period.
And although Lincoln found its shooting touch in the second quarter, scoring 11 points, Parkside did not let up and extended its lead to 31-15 going into halftime.
“I thought we moved the ball well today, and our speed helped us on defense,” Lawson said. “As a team, we bought into sharing the ball, and today, it helped us.”
Unfortunately for the Huskies, the story continued in the second half. Despite the efforts of Lincoln’s Carter Patterson, who scored 13 points and Aydan Brubaker, who scored 12, Parkside once again got off to a quick start in the third quarter and led 46-23 going into the final six minutes. Jensel Hiraldo came off the bench to lead the Pirate charge in the quarter, scoring six of his 11 points.
In the final quarter, Parkside was able to put the game on ice, cruising to the championship victory. Ten Pirate players scored in the game, which was what this team’s identity was all year, according to coach Bob Moats.
“We have an incredibly generous team. They all bought into playing as a group and making each other better. It has never been about getting a better shot. It has always been about getting the best shot available,” Moats said.
And although Parkside ended the season undefeated, that did not surprise Moats at all.
“I knew this group was going to be special last year. They played the right way, and we had some transfer students that integrated into the team really well,” Moats said. “This is a special group of kids who play the right way, and I am really happy for them and proud.”
