Staff Report
Heading into what would be the final game of her high school basketball career, Atlantic City’s Taison Parker, a 5-foot-6 guard, was sitting at 991 points. She needed nine more to reach the coveted 1,000-point benchmark that puts your name up on the gymnasium wall for the rest of eternity.
She scored 11 points in the Vikings’ 46-38 state playoff loss against Cherry Hill East, and being able to reach 1,000 points in the final game of her career was like a snapshot of Parker’s career at Atlantic City. She was a grinder and would find ways to contribute all over the floor, whether it was defending, rebounding, handling the ball or setting up a teammate.
Her 1,002 points are even more impressive when you realize all she was asked to do for her team. She wasn’t just a No. 2 guard putting up jump shots when the point guard drove and dished it to her. She was the point guard. And the No. 2 guard. And a forward. And the best defender on the team, one of the best ball handlers. She was somebody who could do it all and was a big reason why the Vikings were so competitive the last four years.
Last year, they won 16 games and made it to the Cape-Atlantic League Tournament quarterfinals and the state playoffs. In each of her four years, Atlantic City made it to the CAL Tournament and the state playoffs, and when she was a freshman the team won 22 games, made it to the CAL championship and the sectional semifinals.
To go along with her 1,000-plus points, she finished with nearly 400 made shots, 587 rebounds, 93 assists and 167 steals. More than the numbers, though, she’ll be remembered for the tenacity she brought to the court, and one of the big reasons why the Vikings were such a tough team to beat.
— Staff Writer Dave O’Sullivan
