BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Sports Writer
Lady Cagers felt the sting of their loss to Southfield Arts & Technology last Thursday, 79-62, but pushed forward in practice the next day, getting ready for their next foes.
“As much as losing is tough, playing against better competition makes us stand up, makes us better so when we play Stoney Creek and Rochester Adams we are a better team than when they saw us before,” said Christine Rogers, head coach for Clarkston Girls Varsity Basketball team.
She added the Lady Wolves played well but it was tough when the Warriors were shooting well.
“It’s tough to only score and let them get three,” Rogers said. “They were shooting threes out from where the NBA range would be. Even though we were boxing out, even though we were taking care of the ball, even though we were playing great outside defense they still were knocking down incredible three pointers. Their shooting was amazing.”
Southfield A&T ended the first quarter with a 23-14 lead and scored 22 more points during the second quarter before the half closed, 45-24.
The Lady Wolves came out in the second half not giving up without a fight.
“We kept fighting,” Rogers said. “We never let them get a bigger lead but weren’t able to chip away because they continued to hit pretty much everything they shot.”
Junior Kayla Luchenbach led with 24 points and had 13 rebounds. Junior Maddie Beck scored 20 points and freshman Taylor Heaton scored 12 points.
“Taylor had another great night knocking down some three’s and playing great defense on the top player in the state,” said Rogers.
She added the game against Southfield showed some things the girls need to work on, especially with only a few weeks left before district playoffs begins Feb. 27.
“We are going to have to play our best game,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how you do in the season. It only matters how you do in the district playoffs. Our goal all season has been to win the district, move on to regionals and on. Everything we do that makes us better will help us in the playoffs.”
To help prepare, the Lady Wolves (12-3, 3-2 OAA Red) opened the week against Stoney Creek. They host Rochester Adams on Friday and head to Bloomfield Hills next Tuesday.
“We haven’t reached a plateau, we aren’t trending water,” said Rogers. “We are continuing to get better. Playing against Southfield made us better.”
JV begins at 5:30 p.m., varsity follows.
* * *
The Clarkston Girls JV Basketball team defeated Southfield Arts & Technology, 46-16. Chance McDougal led the team with 11 points. Rielee Fetty scored five points and had ten rebounds. Hailey Bogar, Meg Sielaff and Olivia McKinney had six rebounds each.
The Clarkston Girls Freshman Basketball team lost to Mercy on Jan. 31, 34-15.
Sarah Bailey led the team with seven points and three rebounds. Jessie Buscher scored five points and nine rebounds.

  clarkston, Girls Basketball