The Clarkston varsity girls basketball team used a dominating first half to bowl over an outmatched Troy Athen squad 46-25, on Oct. 15
Clarkston opened up a 23-7 halftime lead and did not allow any Athens player to score in double digits.
“We matched up really well,” said Clarkston Coach Ann Lowney. “We finally were not playing a team with a bunch of 6’2″ girls.”
Senior forward Julia Connor had a game high for the Wolves with 12 points. Senior forward Stephanie Parkin, who finished with 6 points, hit some key buckets early to help the Wolves jump out to what would become an insurmountable lead.
Clarkston was able to mix in some players who do not get regular play time, while coasting to an easy victory. In a game in which Lowney was able to empty her bench, she seemed especially pleased afterwards with her starting five.
“We’re finally starting to gel, I have a starting lineup I can stick with now,” said Lowney.
The Wolves are starting juniors Tamara Green at point guard, and Melissa Martinez at shooting guard; senior Jill Kouri as the third guard; while Parkin and senior Leigh Christy fill the frontcourt spots.
“It took a while to define everyone’s roles,” said Lowney.
She added that the current starting five’s forte is their defensive intensity, which has given Lowney the luxury of bringing the more offensively gifted Connor and sophomore guard Chelsea Kouri off the bench.
Earlier in the week, Clarkston lost a double-overtime heartbreaker to Auburn Hills Avondale 55-50.
“We played 32 minutes of perfect basketball (against Avondale), it’s just that the game went 40 minutes,” said Lowney.
Currently the Wolves’ record stands at 6-6 (3-3) which has them tied for third in the league behind West Bloomfield and Southfield Lathrup.