BB: Riverton Parke wins season opener

Riverton Parke won their season opener as Senior Josh Wilson’s 3-pointer at the buzzer gave the Panthers a 66-63 win over Cloverdale.

Cloverdale opened the game on an 11-0 run to start the game and held a 24-15 lead after one quarter.

RP fought back the second period and back-to-back buckets by Dalton Rafter to end the second quarter got RP to within 35-31 at halftime.

The Clovers again surged ahead to start the second half using another 11-0 run to build a 15 point lead at 46-31 early in the third quarter.

RP gradually cut into the Cloverdale lead to 48-40 entering the final period.

After RP cut the Clovers’ lead to one point on two occasions in the 4^th quarter, Cloverdale built the lead to 61-55 with just under a minute to play in the game.

Jarrid McLaughlin scored to cut the lead to 61-57 and on the next RP possession Eric Vaughn mailed his 3^rd three pointer of the period to cut the lead to 61-60.

Cloverdale scored on its next possession to make the score 63-60 with 22 seconds to play.

After a time out, the Panthers Josh Wilson made a three pointer from the corner to tie the game for the first time with 10 seconds to play.

A Cloverdale turnover gave the ball back to the Panthers with 4.5 seconds to play.

RP in bounded the ball again to Wilson who dribbled to the top of the key and buried a 3 pointer as the horn sounded to give new head coach Monty Kirk his first victory.

Wilson led the Panthers with 22 points, while Vaughn had 14 points and 6 rebounds and McLaughlin added 11 points and 7 rebounds. Jeremy Helton added 9 points and a team leading 8 rebounds, Dalton Rafter had 6 points, and Cody Vauters and Daniel Hardesty each had two points.

Riverton Parke, 1-1 on the season, will play Rockville in the second game of the Banks of the Wabash Classic Dec. 5 at Rockville.