HEALTHY PARKER FINDS GROOVE

Parker 67, San Diego 40

Francis Parker, a team that relies on speed and 3-point shooting, had been shut down three different times during the season for COVID-19 concerns, including missing the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic.

San Diego, another high-octane team, had avoided COVID-19 problems until recently, when the bug bit three Cavers starters.

The result, when the teams met Saturday, was somewhat predictable with Parker using its athleticism to force 27 San Diego turnovers and running away with a 67-40 win at Parker.

“It was really disappointing early (in the season),” said Parker senior Camden Mccormick. “We were supposed to play Dematha (the Maryland powerhouse) to open the Torrey tournament, but they had to drop out.

“The next day, we tested positive and had to drop out.”

So it has been a series of starts and stops for the Lancers (10-4), who have now won four in a row and are on the verge of breaking into the county’s Top 10.

“We have five seniors who have played together for a while, so chemistry is a big part of our game,” Mccormick said. “It was hard to mesh when we couldn’t play, couldn’t practice regularly.”

That’s changing now as the Lancers appear to be shifting into high gear. Despite making just 4 of 25 3-point attempts, the Lancers dominated the boards and forced San Diego into a ton of mistakes.

“We’re four guys out right now, so we’re playing a lot of freshmen,” said San Diego coach Bazz Fontenot. “They’re talented freshmen, but they’re freshmen, and they’ll make mistakes.

“But when we get everyone healthy, the experience the young guys are getting will pay a dividend, I hope.”

San Diego was without its forwards as well as point guard Gavin Guinn. The Cavers (13-6), who had won three in a row without their veteran starters, were led by junior Noah Marte, who finished with 20 points. Marte also had seven rebounds.

Mccormick led Parker with 20 points. He grabbed 16 rebounds and had seven assists. Martin Rudolph added 14 points while Vinny Ferrari and Orion Samikoglu each had 11 points and seven rebounds.

“The breaks, especially the one that lasted two weeks, really set us back,” said Ferrari. “But we’re healthy now. We’re focused now.

“A lot of what we do as a team is about chemistry — playing defense, forcing turnovers, getting good shots.

“We work hard on our defense every day in practice. We take a lot of pride it it.”

john.maffei@sduniontribune.com