It may not be an underdog story on par with the classic basketball film “Hoosiers,” but the Parkview Vikings lived out a cinematic ending to the Class 5 state basketball tournament opener against Joplin on Wednesday night at O’Reilly Family Event Center.
The Vikings scratched starters Gage Clark and Dontae Taylor due to injury before tipoff but still clung to a 52-51 advantage with 2:01 remaining. Parkview point guard Damarcus Mason had just fouled out, and the Viking players circled head coach Landon Cornish.
With three busloads of Joplin students engaged in a chanting war with those on the home side, Cornish reminded his team that time was their friend and to look for buckets at the rim.