Clarkston Boys Varsity Basketball team lost nine seniors last year after making it to MHSAA Semi-final playoffs, but it’s not a rebuilding year.
‘It’s a maintaining year,? said Dan Fife, beginning his 27th year as head coach.
Seniors Matt Kamieniecki and Tyler Scarlett are back, as well as Jordan Clark, Max Collins, Matt Dellinger and Nick Tatu. The team has eight new faces, one junior, six sophomores and one freshman.
‘It’s exciting because they are young kids,? said Fife. ‘We have great leadership from Kami, Scarlett and Clark – that’s a good thing we have great senior leadership. It’s a lot easier to break the new kids in when you have Kami, Scarlett and Clark – they have been playing for so long.?
While the team will miss Brandon Pokley, their top shooter from last year, Brandon Verlinden, their offense and defense specialist and Tom Staton, Fife noted it will come down to what it always does for the team – defense.
‘One thing we can’t do is when all else fails look for Pokley to hit his shot,? he said. ‘We are going to have to ‘X? and ‘O? them a little bit more than we did in the last year. But we have done it in the past. We have to figure out what it is going to take to be successful.?
Pinpointing defense and making the other teams earn getting the points.
‘If we can figure that out then the offense will come easy,? he stated.
The boys played a four-way scrimmage after Thanksgiving which helped the team take a look at what needed more work, but Fife admitted Clarkston’s first game this Saturday will tell them a lot more.
Many players were on the football team during the fall, which will help, he said.
‘With the kind of success they had (getting to the semifinals), they know what it takes to win,? Fife said.
They play Henry Ford at Detroit Renaissance High School on Saturday and host their first home game next Wednesday before they go on break for the holidays. As soon as they get back, they start league play.
‘We want to be ready for league,? Fife stated. ‘Our league is very competitive this year at least six teams already stand out. Right now we are trying to define the roles and some kids don’t know the roles yet.?
Saturday’s game is at 7 p.m. JV begins next Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. and varsity follows.