Matt Kamieniecki gave teammate Nick Tatu a high five before the two joined the rest of the team.
Only seconds before the celebration Pontiac High School’s Anthony Adams had shot a 3-pointer, narrowing Clarkston’s lead to two points. Pontiac had only six seconds remaining in the game to tie the OAA league game.
But before they could Pontiac fouled on Tatu, sending him to the line for two.
Tatu sank his free throws, ending the game 53-49.
The Wolves knew coming back from break was going to be tough and facing the new rivalry with Pontiac was just what they needed to get them going.
‘We were talking all week about the pressure they were going to bring,? said Kamieniecki. ‘We prepared all break for them. We tried to simulate it in practice – which is hard to do. You have to wait until the game to see how you will handle it.?
‘It’s good for us,? said Dan Fife, long-time Wolves Head Coach. ‘We can come back after three games, reload a little bit and see what we need to do to get our offense and defense on the players minds and where they need to be.?
He admitted the team made a few mistakes and it was contributed to how the boys felt during the game.
‘It’s the pressure. It’s the nerves,? Fife added. ‘It’s getting the young kids through the nerves and getting them through a Pontiac game. Then, trying to tell them that’s what we should create in practice even though we can’t. Win or lose it’s a great lesson for us tonight.?
Tatu got the game going with a 3-pointer for the Wolves and the lead continued as the boys went into their half-time break with a score 26-17.
The tides began to turn near the end of the last quarter as Pontiac steadily closed the gap of Clarkston’s lead with 3-point throws from Juwan Moody and Adams.
‘We looked pretty well,? said Kamieniecki. ‘We did have some sloppy turnovers, some big guys and some pressure. It’s common with young kids, but it’s a great lesson to learn for our next game and how to handle pressure.?
Pontiac had a different vision for their first night out against the Wolves.
‘We expected to come in here and get a win,? said Pontiac Head Coach Robert Rogers. ‘That’s what we planned for, that’s what we practiced. But the bottom line is we dug a hole for ourselves in the first quarter and in the first half and we never really recovered.?
Rogers added the boys are only five games into the year and are still learning how to play together as a team and getting used to the coaches.
‘We played hard all the way to the end so I can’t knock the effort,? he continued. ‘We play with a lot of great ballplayers and Kamieniecki is a great ballplayer. Congratulations to them, they did what they had to do.?
Kamieniecki led the boys with 18 points. Tatu added 13 to the board, including three field goals and Jordan Clark aided with ten points.
Leading Pontiac was Moody with 13 points, Adams with nine, and Jamal Barr with eight.
The Wolves continued the week with a win over Oak Park on Friday, 65-35.
Kamieniecki led Clarkston, scoring 22 points.
The boys played Flint Northern on Tuesday.
They host West Bloomfield on Friday and Southfield on Jan. 19.
JV begins at 5:30 p.m., varsity follows.
Can’t get to the games? Check Wolfpack Update at www.ClarkstonNews.com for the latest.