By Wendi Reardon Price
Staff Writer
wprice@mihomepaper.com
CLARKSTON — The Wolves were successful with a 66-40 victory over Northville in the OAA/KLAA Challenge at home last Friday.
“Northville is really well coached,” said Clarkston Boys Varsity Basketball Head Coach Tim Wasilk. “They run a lot of good stuff offensively. They have a couple really good shooters so I knew coming in it would be a competitive game. For us, we were pretty good defensively at times, holding them to 40 points so I was happy with that. We need to clean up some things and defensive transition had a few too many turnovers tonight and we missed a lot of lay ups tonight. I feel like we missed about 10 layups and which means we had good possessions, but we just weren’t finishing. I thought they were one of the better teams we played this year, if not the best team we played so far this year, so I was overall pretty happy with the outcome.”

Northville opened the night with a 3-pointer from Sondreal Simon.
Quinn Rosenberg tied it up with his first of three 3-pointers in the first half.
The Mustangs grabbed the lead again but didn’t hold onto it long as Rosenberg scored on back-to-back 3-pointers, putting the Wolves up 12-7 with less than four minutes to go in the first quarter.
Northville closed the gap by four points with two baskets. Before the quarter closed, John Kaul scored on a 3-pointer off an assist from Ace Walters to put the Wolves up, 15-11.
Clarkston continued to hold the lead through the second quarter with contributions from Rosenberg, Kaul, Cole Charter and Hayden Flavin, finishing the half, 30-18.
“We had some good balance scoring around the board,” said Wasilk. “We’ve gotten better each week.”
The lead continued to grow and as the Wolves held more than a 20-point lead, they pulled players in from off the bench. Caleb Harmon scored on two baskets. Smith Wasilk had a 3-pointer and Troy Rosenberg scored on a basket to end the game 66-40.
“We’ve been going a little deeper on our bench,” Wasilk said. “All the guys off the bench have been doing a pretty good job. We haven’t been afraid to go to the bench and play some of our guys. They have really stepped up and did a nice job, whether it be a guard or whether it be a big, they’re doing well in practice. And when we sub, we’re not losing a whole lot, if a lot of times gaining so it’s good.”
The Wolves opened the week with a 74-56 win over Troy, Dec. 10. Kaul led with 17 points. Ace Walters had 11 points and six assists, Rosenberg had 11 points and six rebounds and Hayden Flavin had ten points and eight rebounds.
“Kaul had a pretty good night,” said Wasilk. “He had 15 points in the second half with three 3s.”
His field goals put him at a total of 70 for his career, putting him in the 18th spot out of 19 players who have achieved 65 or more field goals at Clarkston.
Wasilk added a player who keeps sticking out is junior Hayden Barrow.
“He’s kind of like our unsung hero,” he said. “He is our defensive guy. He draws the tough assignment of guarding the other team’s best player. He’s been solid for us. He’s bought in his role. He doesn’t have to score a whole lot for us, but he does a lot of the dirty work.”
The Wolves started their OAA Red League play this week with Ferndale, which was Monday, and headed to West Bloomfield on Thursday.
“It’ll be a big week. Definitely the most challenging part of our season is coming up,” said Wasilk.
The Wolves play in the D-Zone Invitational on Saturday against University of Detroit – Jesuit at 1:45 p.m. and is one of seven games.
“A lot of the top teams in the state of Michigan are going to be there,” said Wasilk. “It’ll be good for us to play. It be should be a fun event.”
“It’s a great event for the school and the community,” shared Stuart Carlin, founder of the D-Zone, adding this showcase is different because it has the best teams in the state. “There’s just incredible match ups.”
The day begins with Brother Rice vs. East Kentwood playing at 10:15 a.m.; Port Huron vs. Skyline, 12 p.m.; Clarkston vs. UD Jesuit, 1:45 p.m.; Northview vs. Ann Arbor Huron, 3:30 p.m.; Warren Lincoln vs. Bryon Center, 5:15 p.m.; Muskegon vs. East Lansing, 7 p.m.; and Rockford vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, 8:45 p.m.
Carlin shared Clarkston is a great location for the event for the rich history in the community and in athletics and the facilities at the Dan Fife Field House at the high school is amazing and can hold thousands of people.
He added the showcases gives the Clarkston community to see some of the best basketball teams and players in the state without leaving the community.
“Some of these teams will be winning the championship,” Carlin said, adding Clarkston has one of the best teams they have had in years. “This year, they’re ranked in the top 10 in the state and they’re playing incredible.”

  Boys Basketball, Clarkston Athletics