By Wendi Reardon Price
Staff Writer
wprice@mihomepaper.com
INDEPENDENCE TWP. — Clarkston Boys Varsity Basketball marked the first Fife for a Cure with a 72-60 win over West Bloomfield last Friday.
“It’s a great night,” said head coach Tim Wasilk about the event and the opportunity to raise money for the Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Center and Rogel Cancer Center.
“It was such a fun night to put together four games today and work with the girls,” Wasilk said. “The varsity girls played before us and then the Unified game. The dancers came out with the little kids. And all to honor Coach Dan Fife and Jan Fife, give money to support pancreatic cancer and awareness and Alzheimer’s disease. It is a really special night. It was really a great seeing everybody out in purple. It was a good thing for the community and nice thing to give back.”
Senior Quinn Rosenberg got the night going for the boys with the first back of the night. The Lakers responded with scoring four points.
The lead was short as the Wolves went on a 7-point run with baskets from Rosenberg, junior Hayden Flavin and a 3-pointer from junior Cole Charter.
The first quarter closed with West Bloomfield in the lead 16-15.
“West Bloomfield did a really good job in the first half of penetrating on us they got to the basket quite a bit,” said Wasilk. “We adjusted our defense towards the end of the second quarter and kind of took away their penetration. we did a much better job.”

With less than four minutes left in the first half, the Lakers led by seven points after two points on the free throw line from Brendin Jones and a 3-pointer by Curtis Brittin, 30-23.
The Wolves responded scoring eight points starting off a basket from Flavin and ending with three points from Charter. The Lakers added one more basket to lead by one point, 32-31.
“They slowed the game down on us a little bit, and they had a good game plan,” said Wasilk. “But the kids stayed tough. We talked about it at halftime. We knew it was going to be a close game. We came out in the second half, I thought the kids responded and just kind of pushed the lead, and they did a nice job.”
Senior John Kaul opened the second half with a 3-pointer and the battle for the lead between the two teams continued.
The Wolves prevailed breaking a 37-37 tie with a point from Charter with 4:19 remaining in the quarter, starting a 7-point run to bring the score up 45-37. The Lakers dug out of the whole with five points but in the last minute the Wolves scored four points to lead into the final quarter, 49-42.
Clarkston would continue their lead through the remainder of the game with opportunities on the free throw line to close out the night 72-60.
“The second half was really good mentally for us,” Wasilk said.
Charter led with 25 points.
“Cole was outstanding tonight,” said Wasilk. “He really controlled the game from an offensive standpoint. He played pretty good defense too so that was good to see.”
Kaul scored 13 points, Flavin had 12 points and Rosenberg had ten points.
The Wolves opened the week with a 67-41 win over Bloomfield Hills, Jan. 28.
“It was a really good game for us. It’s a really good non-league game against a pretty good team,” said Wasilk. “We made 10 3-pointers. It was really good from an offensive standpoint. They are a well-coached team. It was nice to go into their place and get a win, and we’re pretty good on the defensive end as well.”
Kaul led with 17 points with three 3-pointers.
Rosenberg scored ten points with two 3-pointers and nine rebounds. Sophomore Ace Walters scored eight points with two 3-pointers. Charter had seven points with six assists and junior Hayden Barrow had six points and five rebounds.
The Wolves (14-3, 6-2 OAA Red) opened the week against North Farmington on Tuesday.
“It’s going to be a good league game,” said Wasilk. :We played them at their place and shot the ball really well and beat them there. So hopefully good things will happen on Tuesday night.
Clarkston heads to Rochester Adams on Tuesday, Feb. 11 and Avondale on Thursday, Feb. 13. JV plays at 5:30 p.m., varsity follows.

  Boys Basketball, Clarkston Athletics