BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Sports Writer
Clarkston avenged their loss against Oak Park last month with a 44-41 win last Thursday at the Dan Fife Field House.
“We were really good defensively,” said Clarkston Boys Varsity Basketball Head Coach Tim Wasilk.
The Wolves opened the night with a field goal by Nathan Steinman off a pass from Keegan Wasilk and a basket from Mike DePillo.
The Knights caught up and the score with tied at nine points with 94 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Desman Stephens broke the tie with a basket and Wasilk put the score up to 13-9 with 18 seconds remaining in the period.
Steinman opened the second quarter with another field goal. After Oak Park scored one point on the free throw line, the Wolves went on a 9-2 run, putting the score 25-12.
The Knights finished the half with one basket and two three-pointers, to close the gap to 25-20.
“They had two pretty tough threes at the end, the momentum switched,” Coach Wasilk said. “They have very good guards. They are well coached. They played tough. I was just happy with the way we competed. We did play our best. I felt like we had a lot of turnovers. We weren’t really clean on the offensive end. We were really good defensively, limiting their top guards from touches and scoring.”

Oak Park caught up to the Wolves in the third quarter, tying the score at 26 points wiht four minutes left. Clarkston responded with a basket from Isayah Harris and Luke Scherler.
The Knights took a 1-point lead to start the fourth quarter, which only lasted seconds when Wasilk was sent to the line for two and scored on both tries.
Wasilk followed it with a basket and DePillo scored two points on the line to put the Wolves up 39-34 with four minutes left in the game.
“I am proud of the way the guys competed,” said Coach Wasilk.
DePillo scored 12 points during the night and had nine rebounds. Wasilk had 12 points and five assists. Zach Austin scored seven points. Steinman had six points. Stephens had three points.
Coach Wasilk added they have been in a lot of tight, close games this season.
“We lost to Ferndale at home and the kids were looking around and didn’t really feel comfortable with that unit on the floor,” he said, adding the game was good for the team. “They were able to see we need to come together in these close games in the fourth quarter. A lot of our games they have been three to ten points. We have had to make winning plays and tough plays. It will help us out as we end the regular season.”
Wasilk added it has also been a different because the season is six weeks.
“It’s been tough physically, mentally, and emotionally on the kids just because we have only had one day off since we started,” he said. “We do practices and games. It’s been really a challenge for everyone – to have great practices and being able to save our legs at the same time. But we are playing.”
The Wolves continued their 6-game winning streak with a 48-37 victory over Stoney Creek on Saturday. Steinman led with 13 points and four rebounds. Wasilk had 12 points and three assists. DePillo had seven points and ten rebounds. Scherler had six points and three rebounds. Austin had five points and three rebounds and Harris had five points and two rebounds.
The Wolves have kept scoring in the 40s in ten of their games this season with the last six in the 40s.
“Offensively we would like to score more points,” Wasilk said. “We hang our hat on what we do defensively because that’s what is really sound right now. We are improving offensively at times – sometimes we are really good and sometimes we struggle a little bit. It’s definitely a goal offensively to score more. We will get better and iron those things out.”
The Wolves defeated Troy on March 8, 46-44. DePillo led with 14 points and ten rebounds. Steinman had ten points and four rebounds. Wasilk had nine points and nine rebounds and Scherler had seven points and four rebounds.
Clarkston (12-3, 5-3 OAA Red) heads to West Bloomfield this Wednesday. They host North Farmington on Friday. JV plays at 5:30 p.m., varsity plays at 7 p.m.
The Wolves have a bye in the first round of districts. They will play in the semifinal round against Lake Orion/Waterford Kettering winner at Oxford High School on March 25, 5:30 p.m.

  Basketball, Clarkston Boys Basketball