Jake Parker Leads Whitehouse to 80-59 Rout of Nacogdoches

WHITEHOUSE -- Even a sore knee wasn't keeping Jake Parker out of this one.

The Whitehouse senior guard scored a game-high 22 points a few days after suffering a bad bone bruise on his left knee against Lindale, leading the Wildcats to an 80-59 rout of Nacogdoches on Tuesday night at Wildcat Arena.

The win, coupled with John Tyler's win over Jacksonville, pulled Whitehouse (19-5, 3-1) into a three-way for first place in District 16-4A.

Parker added six rebounds, three steals and three assists, while going 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. Teammate Patrick Mahomes posted his customary double-double with 10 points and 10 boards. Devon Miles chipped in with 17 points off the bench.

"It was a big win," said Parker. "Especially going into Friday where we play Jacksonville in a first-place game. With my knee being hurt, I think I played a little within myself, not trying to do too much. But it was a total team effort to come out with this 'W.'"

Whitehouse faces Jacksonville, where current Whitehouse head coach Brent Kelley last coached, on Friday at Lon Morris College.

Nacogdoches' (17-9, 1-3) Kwa Jones, Tyler Underwood and Patrick Sanders combined for 42 points -- each netting 14. Jones swatted three shots, Underwood notched six steals and six boards, while Sanders also pulled down six rebounds. As a team, the Dragons collected 12 steals but also turned the ball over 18 times.

Whitehouse opened the game up late in the second quarter. In a two-minute span, Parker had two steals and drained three 3-pointers right before halftime, extending the Wildcats' lead to 18 -- 45-27 at the intermission.

"In the second quarter, a Nacogdoches player and I got into it a little," Parker said. "And when I hit those 3's, it helped my confidence, so I decided to stay aggressive and continue to attack the basket in the second half."

Nacogdoches pulled closer in the third, outscoring Whitehouse 18-11 and got as close as 11 as the third quarter expired.

But Whitehouse began the fourth with an 8-2 spurt, highlighted by a Mahomes foul and 3-point play, and the Wildcats extended that margin to as much as 23 late in the stanza. By the five-minute mark in the fourth, Whitehouse was in the bonus, and the Wildcats finished 27-of-32 from the charity stripe.

Whitehouse led 20-14 after one, holding a 9-2 rebounding edge. The Wildcats won the battle of the boards, 36-19, which included 13 offensive rebounds.

Nacogdoches' season continues Friday at home against Corsicana.