By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
LAKE ORION — The Lake Orion High School boys varsity basketball team defeated Waterford Kettering High School, 66-19, on Monday.
It was the Dragons’ first game of the MHSAA District 27 tournament this season. Lake Orion has now won 12 of their last 14 games.
Lake Orion started the game with a 15-1 run that spanned the game’s first quarter. Senior Nick Galben scored the game’s first points with a baseline layup around one minute into the game. Kettering junior Jordan Jerrell made one free throw about a minute later before Lake Orion scored 14 unanswered points.
Both teams traded baskets early in the second quarter, but Lake Orion’s defense, including a block by junior Ryan Rocheleau, helped the Dragons extend their lead to 20. The Dragons also benefitted from several overthrown passes by Kettering in the first half.
Lake Orion senior Zack Parks scored eight points in the quarter, while junior Nate Giacolone scored seven. Lake Orion led Kettering 36-10 at halftime.

The Dragons continued their dominance in the second half by holding Kettering to three third-quarter points. Parks scored three points by making a layup while being fouled, regaining possession after a missed free throw, and being fouled while shooting a second time.
The sequence put the Dragons up by 40.
Two Dragons, senior Caiden Retsel with eight points and sophomore Kaline Scott with two, scored in the fourth quarter.
Ten Lake Orion players scored in the game. Parks led all players with 23 points, followed by Giacolone’s 12 points, eight by Retsel, six points from Rocheleau, four by Galben, three points from junior Jackson Shoskey, junior Max Neering and senior Joey Neering and two points from Scott and junior Will Farmer.
The Dragons also won their final game of the regular season at Harper Woods High School, 81-51, on Feb. 18.
The team finished the regular season with an 11-3 record in the OAA White and 15-7 overall.
Parks led all Dragons in scoring with 27 points against Harper Woods. Giacolone and Shoskey scored season-highs with 18 and 10 points, respectively. All of Shoskey’s 10 points came in the second half. Rocheleau finished with 13 points.
The Dragons continue their MHSAA tournament play at 5:30 p.m. today at Avondale High School against Waterford Mott High School. Waterford Mott’s regular season record is 19-3.