Girls High School Basketball Player of the Week: Sarah Parker, Piedmont

“There was no nervousness at all,” Parker said. “I was pumped. It was definitely an adrenaline rush.”

The free throws wound up being the easy part.

With the game tied at 50 with seven seconds left, El Reno missed a 3-pointer and the 6-foot-1 Parker was there to pull down the rebound.

With a trio of El Reno players crowded around her under the basket, Parker was fouled with 0.8 seconds left, sending her to the free-throw line.

“I went crazy,” Parker said. “I started sprinting down the court to shoot the free throws. I couldn't wait.”

Parker, who's shooting better than 90 percent at the free-throw line this season, calmly sank both, sending the Class 5A No. 7 Wildcats to a 52-50 win.

Parker finished with 26 points, earning The Oklahoman's girls basketball player of the week honors.

Two days earlier in a 56-33 win over Guthrie, Parker scored 22.

The senior was expected to shoulder much of the scoring load for Piedmont this season but since earlier this month, she's had to shoulder even more of the burden.

Parker was the Wildcats leading returning scorer, averaging nearly 15 points per game as a junior.