Lots of Parker family ties in PAHS-N. Iberville game

• By ROBIN FAMBROUGH
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Jan 6, 2009 - Page: 1C - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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A nondistrict game won’t make or break the basketball season for either Port Allen High or North Iberville.

But tonight’s varsity game set for approximately 7 o’clock will be one to remember for the family of PAHS assistant coach Leonard Parker.

Two of Parker’s sons, L.J. and Marcus, start for the Class 3A Pelicans (13-3), who have won 11 straight games. The youngest Parker sibling, 13-year-old Nicholaus, will play for 1A North Iberville (4-11).

“We’re all looking forward to it,” Leonard Parker said. “It may be one of the last times we’ll all be in the same gym this season.”

The story of three brothers playing for two Westside schools is easy to explain. Parker spent eight years at North Iberville and was the school’s head football coach for four years before moving to Port Allen High. His wife, Wyvetta, is now the NIHS principal.

“We leave home in the morning and head off in different directions,” Wyvetta Parker explained. “Then we don’t see each other again until dinner time. That’s when we all get home.”

Thanks to the Parkers, what could have been a run-of-the-mill nondistrict game is anything but ordinary.

“I’ve been coaching for nine years and I’ve never run across anything like this,” PAHS head coach Kirby Loupe said. “I’ve heard of brothers playing against brothers and fathers coaching against their sons but not one like this where both parents are involved.

“Even though this is going to be our first game after the holidays I think we’ll draw a pretty good crowd. I know the three of them are looking forward to it.”

This could have been a rebuilding year for the Pelicans, who lost their top eight players off last year’s team that advanced to the Top 28 Tournament.

Tyler Washington leads PAHS with a 25.0 scoring average, while 6-foot-4 Austin Allen adds 20.0. Sophomore Marcus Parker (6-1) adds 10 points per game.

Junior L.J. Parker (5-11), the quarterback on the PAHS football team, is PAHS’ defensive specialist.

“It took a little time to get our legs back after football,” L.J. Parker said. “Once we did, we started playing better.”