United as they are under a single mascot, Clarkston’s basketball team exacted a parcel of revenge for their football playing brethren, beating Lake Orion 56-50 to win the district title on March 10.
This past fall the Dragons dispensed with the Wolves to capture a district championship on the gridiron. On the hard court though, Clarkston weathered their upstart neighbors best efforts to emerge with their 15th district crown in the past 16 years.
‘We have a target on us at all times. In our district, everyone’s coming after us,? said senior Joe Moran, who scored a game high 17 points to go with eight rebounds, three steals and a block.
After a first half featuring seven lead changes, Clarkston held a 29-21 advantage. A 6-0 Lake Orion run to start the third quarter brought the score to 29-27, but a quick Wolves? time-out later Clarkston was back on track.
‘We knew they were going to make a run. Coach Fife, he’s the best coach in the state, he knows how to keep his troops together,? Moran said.
After their brief strategy session, the Wolves uncorked a 12-2 run, at one point leading 41-29, which gave them the cushion needed to ward off a streaking Lake Orion team down the stretch.
Clarkston junior Dan Owens shone during the third quarter run, hitting two 3-pointers and adding another field goal for eight of his 13 points.
‘Every 3-pointer came at a crucial time,? said Lake Orion Coach Jim Manzo in reference to Owens? outside shooting.
Despite Owens? cold blooded shooting, determined play from the Dragons ensured the estimated crowd of 3,200 had something to cheer about until the bitter (or sweet) end.
‘I still remember them getting it up to 12 and thinking ‘Man, I hope this doesn’t get out of hand.? Our guys got us a second win. We started playing better defense and limiting them to one shot,? Manzo said.
Lake Orion began cutting into the Clarkston lead late in the third and entered the fourth facing a 41-33 deficit. Continuing throughout the fourth quarter, the Dragons took small bites out of the Clarkston advantage and found themselves down only three points with 2:37 left in the game.
The Dragons? star sophomore Drew Maynard, saddled with foul trouble in the first half, came alive in the fourth as he scored nine of his 14 points during Lake Orion’s late rally. Steady free throw shooting by the Wolves thwarted Lake Orion’s best laid upset plans as Clarkston went 7-8 from the line down the stretch
‘I coached against Jim Manzo when he was a player. To see him weather the storm and get his kids to compete like that says something abut what kind of coach he is,? Clarkston Coach Dan Fife said.
Senior Joe Rademacher turned in a good game for Clarkston in the district clinching victory with 10 points and nine rebounds after suffering an injury in the Wolves? 77-33 destruction of Lapeer East in the district semifinal on March 8.
Sophomore Oliver Kupe led the way in the blowout win with 19 points. Moran and junior Kevin Badgley each posted 10.
Clarkston has the honor of hosting the regional tournament this year and drew Grand Blanc in the first round. The game is scheduled for March 15 at 7 p.m.
The winner of the Clarkston-Grand Blanc matchup will face either Walled Lake Central or Macomb Dakota in the regional final on March 17 at 7 p.m. Walled Lake Central and Macomb Dakota’s meeting on March 14 finished too late for this edition of The Clarkston News.
The winner of the Clarkston regional advances to play the winner of the Midland Dow regional in a state quarterfinal matchup on March 21 at Saginaw Valley State University.