Parker, Anderson Lead Rogers Past Pea Ridge

By Paul Nielsen

Posted: November 23, 2009 at 4:28 a.m.

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PEA RIDGE — When Graham Parker joined the Rogers High basketball team from football, Mounties coach Marty Barnes decided to expand the junior’s role with the team.

With just a handful of practices under his belt before Saturday’s season opener, Parker was not in the Mounties’ starting lineup against Pea Ridge.

“I want him to play a variety of positions, so some of the things we are trying to do with him are foreign,” Barnes said. “It’s just going to take some repetitions.”

Parker got lots of reps Saturday, and it probably helped Rogers avoid an upset at the hand of the Class 4A Blackhawks.

Parker came off the bench and scored 16 points and Rogers outscored Pea Ridge 16-3 the final four minutes of the game to defeat the Blackhawks 44-33.

Josh Anderson also scored 16 for the Mounties, and the sophomore combined with Parker to score 15 of Rogers’ final 16 points.

Rogers didn’t score during the first four minutes of the fourth period, and Levi Roughton capped an 8-0 Pea Ridge run with two free throws that gave the Blackhawks a 30-28 lead with 4 minutes, 14 seconds left in the game.

But Pea Ridge (1-1) wouldn’t score from the floor the rest of the way and Rogers would hit its final four shots from the floor and 8 of 9 free throws to pull away.

“We answered the call,” Barnes said. “First game on the road with some inexperienced players, we are going to garner a lot from every game we play with this group. Defense carried us.”

Pea Ridge forced Rogers into 17 turnovers, but coach Charley Clark said the Blackhawks didn’t score enough baskets to make their pressure defense more effective. Kasey Cooper led the ’Hawks with 11 points while Kip Kelly scored seven.

“We had such a hard time scoring; we couldn’t get the tempo faster,” Clark said. “If you don’t score, it’s hard to press. We have to do a better job attacking the zone.”

Rogers will get another stiff test tonight when Subiaco Academy visits King Arena. Barnes said Subiaco is one of the better Class 4A schools in the state.

“We will see some speed and up in your face (defense),” Barnes said. “Got to do a better job.”

Rogers 59

Pea Ridge 29

GIRLS — Morgan Hook scored 22 points and Taylor Murphy added 15 to lead the Lady Mounties (2-0) to their second mercy-rule victory in as many games.

Hook scored 10 points in the first half to help Rogers to a 32-17 lead. The Oklahoma signee then opened the second half with five straight points as Rogers raced to a 57-24 lead going to the final period.

Murphy scored inside and out as the senior move-in had a 3-pointer, a pair of stickbacks and go with two steals and layups.

“(Murphy) is really, really good in transition,” said Lady Mounties coach Preston Early. “I thought (Murphy) and Morgan (Hook) really made some things happen by getting easy buckets. I think this team really thrives off easy points.”

Rogers was also solid defensively as the Lady Mounties forced Pea Ridge into 26 turnovers before the mercy rule went into affect to start the final period.

“We wanted to create some turnovers,” Early said. “That took some pressure off us. We manufactured some points and getting points off turnovers is huge.”

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