The tradition continues for the Clarkston basketball team.
Junior forward Chris Johnston scored 18 points and sophomore guard Robbie Clark added 16 as the Wolves defeated neighboring Brandon 52-38 in the district final March 8 at Oxford, capturing their tenth straight district championship.
The Wolves (15-8) advanced to the final the night before with a 67-59 win against Waterford Kettering. The Wolves grabbed a 17-11 lead against the Captains at the end of the first quarter, and maintained a 32-26 lead at halftime. Although the Wolves won the game, the Captains hung around until the end, and Clarkston could not blow the game open.
Johnston led the Wolves with 19 points, while Clark added 15 and senior guard Justin Whetstone 10.
Although Coach Dan Fife stated both the Captains and Blackhawks gave the Wolves trouble in the districts, he believes winning the district championship, along with a share of the Oakland Activities Assocition Division I title, are signs of the team’s growing maturity.
“We won, and I don’t think we necessarily played our best,” Fife said. “Kettering played us very tough and so did Brandon. Our kids struggled through it a little bit, but they’re getting used to winning a little bit. It was a good win for us. We set goals each year of winning the league championship and district championship, and then we take it from there.”
Fife cited Clark and Whetstone as players that had an “outstanding” district tournament for the Wolves.
The Wolves competed Tuesday in the Region 7 opener against Grand Blanc (results were not available as of press time). If they defeat the Bobcats, the Wolves would play the winner of Wednesday’s regional game between Clinton Township Chippewa Valley and White Lake Lakeland for the regional title at Dakota Friday at 7 p.m.
“They’re quick and they have a lot of players returning from last year,” Fife said of the Bobcats. “We’ll have to play very well to beat them.”