Playing before their first Friday home crowd since opening night, Clarkston looked to take what was a gimmie game. That, as coaches say, is why they play the game in the gym, rendering the paper trail proceeding the game inconsequential.
The record had Southfield Lathrup entering Clarkston High School at 0-3, whereas the Wolves (9-2) were 2-1 after a loss to league-leader Pontiac Northern. Clarkston pulled out a 54-47 win, but the Chargers (4-7) did not go away quietly, despite an 11-point halftime deficit.
Clarkston coach Dan Fife was disappointed with the Wolves? effort.
‘We’re not going to just out-talent people. I thought we just thought we would show up and win tonight,? Fife said.
‘We practiced well all week and we were just flat tonight,? he added.
Julius Porter, starting at point guard, left a good impression before the midway point, nailing a three-point shot beating the buzzer before teams left for the lockeroom, putting Clarkston up 30-19.
The Chargers surged, outscoring Clarkston 17-14 in the third quarter as they got as close as seven.
‘We were up by 12 at one point and they just got comfortable and settled back in,? Fife said.
‘We were making silly plays all through the game and letting them hang around, when I thought, especially in your home gym, you’ve got to take care of that stuff.?
The Wolves were as cold as the cars in the parking lot to start the fourth quarter, netting its first points nearly five minutes into the period. By that point, the Chargers had scored six points on back-to-back three pointers by Carlos Daniels.
Brandon Beard converted a three-point play and with 1:50 remaining and Drew Gilchrist’s bucket pulled Lathrup within two points, 49-47.
The run came to a close as the Chargers were forced to foul the Wolves to stop the game clock and put Clarkston on the free-throw line.
Oliver Kupe and Porter closed the game out from the charity stripe.
Chargers coach Michael Avery was proud of his ‘dynamic duo? of junior varsity players, Gilchrist and Beard, after pulling them to the varsity ranks.
Gilchrist had an important basket late in the game and Beard finished with 11 points.
‘We saw good promise from those guys. Those are our future guards and those guys played real well for us,? Avery said.
Dan Owens was the leading scorer of the game with 16 points. Bren Bergquist finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.
West Bloomfield (9-2, 4-0) visits Clarkston on Friday.

Porter scored 11 points and Kupe had eight points.
Justin Johnson had eight points and Darryl Foster and Brandon Slater both had seven points for the Chargers.
Porter started at point guard, but the game saw the return of Andy Lyons, unable to play since December due to mononucleosis. He scored three points in the game with a buzzer-beater of his own at the end of the third quarter from well-beyond the three-point line.
The win puts Clarkston in second place in the Oakland Activities Association, behind West Bloomfield (9-2, 4-0 OAA). The Lakers visit the Wolves on Friday in what should be the OAA match-up of the week, kicking off a five-game home stand for Clarkston.
Pontiac Central comes to town on Feb. 9 and the Chiefs will look to avenge a loss to Clarkston on their home floor.