Senior Eric Leichtnam rallied the fans as Cagers took a timeout with a minute left in the game.
Despite being at a different gymnasium, the blue and gold colors were dominate at Troy-Athens as one side of the bleachers shouted out ‘Go? and the other side echoed with ‘Wolves.?
Clarkston and Pontiac Northern broke away from their huddles and went back onto the court with the same thought in place – to win the Regional title.
The game, which would end Pontiac Northern’s season, 42-35, was close from the beginning, with Matt Kamieniecki scoring the lead for the Wolves. Northern was quick to turn it around and add their own baskets.
The lead flip-flopped between the two teams and Clarkston gained the lead at the beginning of the second half with baskets from Tom Staton and Kamieniecki.
The Wolves had a four point lead going into the last minute of the game and knew all the Huskies needed was a few key plays to turn that around.
‘You know it’s going to come down to that one crucial play,? said Coach Dan Fife.
‘You know a bad play can cost you the game. So it’s tough to play under those conditions.?
The play it came down to was Brandon Pokley being sent to the lines for not only a personal foul made on him, but a technical foul when a Northern player pushed him after the referee blew his whistle on the first foul.
Pokley stood on the line and connected all four shots. The game finished with an extra point made by Brandon Verlinden.
The Wolves won their seventh consecutive regional title and played Northern for the third time of the season and the last time, as the school merges with Pontiac Central next fall.
‘This is kind of nice because it is the last Northern game and it was just a hard fought game from both teams. This game here was just a slugfest,? said Fife. ‘Northern has done a great job of bringing those kids along.?
The boys hit problems when their shooting performance was off from nerves.
‘You come out here a little nervous because you have to represent your city in the last game against Northern,? said Staton. ‘We kept our composure. We missed a lot of shots. No one could find their rhythm but we played through it. We scored only 42 points, that’s not normal.?
Staton led with 13 points and Matt Kamieniecki had 11 points and 12 rebounds.
‘Staton made some big buckets for us,? said Fife. ‘There is no question he got us going in the third quarter. Verlinden’s two steals were huge and (Tyler) Scarlett did an exceptional job bringing the ball up through the press.?
The Wolves took on Flint Northern (18-6) in their seventh consecutive trip to the quarterfinals on Tuesday, who they had already beaten earlier in the season.
The heartbreak from last year’s double overtime loss to Saginaw Arthur Hill put a drive into the boys when they practiced over the summer to help prepare them for another drive in the playoffs.
‘It does put things into perspective,? said Fife. ‘Our kids work hard in the off season. That has been the difference in our program.?
This year the boys are set to make it all the way.
‘We want this,? said Staton. ‘We keep saying this is the year. This is our time.?
Check how Clarkston did on the Wolfpack Update on www.ClarkstonNews.com.