By Wendi Reardon Price
Clarkston News Sports Writer
INDEPENDENCE TWP. — Senior Matthew Taverna aimed and succeeded in scoring on a 3-point shot with 12 seconds left in the third quarter during last Friday’s home game against Oak Park.
The basket put the Clarkston Boys Varsity Basketball team 20 points ahead of their visitors, 56-36. Even though the Wolves were used to close games, they kept up the momentum and defense to win the OAA Red game, 68-43.
“We played a lot of close games lately,” said Tim Wasilk, head coach. “It’s been pretty tough on our kids. The last minute of these games, haven’t went our way. So it was nice tonight to see us come out, compete for four quarters, and play really well on both ends of the floor. I was proud of the guys.”
He added the players executed the game plan really well and limited Oak Park’s Geon Hutchons to 16 points.
“He is a heck of a player,” Wasilk said. “He scored like 32 against us last time. We did a really good job of trying to limit his touches and taking him out of the game.”
The Wolves opened the night with eight points within the first minute and kept the lead going.
Before the first quarter closed, Oak Park got within three points with a field goal from Aiden Allen with 21 seconds remaining.
Taverna matched it with his own 3-point basket to close the quarter, 23-17. He opened the second quarter with another one to put the Wolves nine points aheed.
“We shot the ball really well tonight with ten 3-pointers,” Wasilk said.
Hayden Flavin led the team with 24 points. Taverna had 12 points. Cole Charter had ten points. John Kaul and Peyton Fitzsimonds each had eight points.
“Flavin was really good inside,” Wasilk said. “Cole handled the ball really well, as well as Taverna. He played a heck of a game for us. It was nice to be in front of our home crowd tonight, better energy and more comfortable.”
The Wolves lost to Birmingham Groves in double overtime, 57-49, Feb.
Charter led with 25 points. Flavin scored 19 points and Kaul ad five points.
The Wolves (9-9, 3-7 OAA Red) opened the week against Walled Lake Western on Tuesday.
Clarkston hosts West Bloomfield on Friday during Chad Tough night. The Clarkston Girls JV Basketball team plays the Lakers at 4 p.m., girls varsity basketball, 5:30 p.m., and boys varsity at 7 p.m.
“We played West Bloomfield pretty tough the first time around like we have with everybody,” said Wasilk. “We talk about playing our best basketball at the end of the season going into the playoffs and Hopefully we can build off this. We won three out of last four and hopefully we can keep moving forward.”

The Clarkston Girls Varsity Basketball team wrapped last week with two wins.
They defeated Stoney Creek last Thursday, 53-27. Elliana Robak led with 21 points. Brooklyn Covert had seven points and Emily Valencia had six points.
They opened the week with a win over Southfield Arts & Technology on Feb. 6, 70-38.
Robak led with 18 points. Elia Morgner had 16 points, Ellery Hernandez had 14 points, and Covert had 12 points.
The Wolves (13-4, 4-2 OAA Red) played Lake Orion on Tuesday and host West Bloomfield on Friday.

  Basketball, Clarkston Athletics