Clarkston’s basketball team had the toughest game to begin its three-game, four-night stand last Tuesday. The Wolves, after suffering an upset loss at Southfield Lathrup Feb. 23, had to muster their energy for their biggest intra-conference competition, Pontiac Northern.
The Wolves rose to the occasion, holding on for a 55-53 win in front of a home crowd. While visiting the Huskies (15-4) in January, Clarkston fell 75-67 for their first loss in the conference. That matchup was seen as another legendary chapter in their rivalry.
Tuesday’s game was no different, holding league championship implications. Clarkston (15-3) moved into a tie at 7-2 in the Oakland Activities Association with the win. Both teams were set to decide the league three days later on the last day of the season.
The Huskies took a 30-28 lead into halftime, but the Wolves stormed out in the third quarter, outscoring Northern 15-6, to take a seven-point lead into the fourth.
‘We had a two-point lead at halftime, we had the third quarter to lose,? Huskies coach Robert Rogers said.
‘We had to turn it up to get within reach. We had a chance to tie or win and it just didn’t happen for us.
‘You can never count a Clarkston team out until it’s over and I hope they say the same thing about us.?
Clarkston looked to pull away on multiple occasions, but they couldn’t shake the Huskies.
‘Northern is never going to go away when they play us, that’s something our kids know because our kids have watched these games forever,? Clarkston coach Dan Fife said.
‘There was a lot of pressure on both teams and it seemed like it was a heavyweight boxing match, two people wearing each other out,? Fife said.
‘We were fortunate to win. I was happy with our kids responding after the loss at Lathrup.?
The Wolves? six-foot-plus trio of Kevin Badgley, Bren Bergquist and Oliver Kupe put in more work on the glass, picking up significantly more rebounds than they had against Lathrup.
‘That was the difference, our activity on the boards,? Fife said.
Dan Owens scored 26 points and Bergquist added 10 for Clarkston.
Tim Williams also had 26 points for the Huskies and Martell Webb had 14.
Rogers played down the likelihood of another Clarkston/Northern co-championship like the one they shared in 2005.
‘We’re just trying to get to the MHSAA championship.?
Northern won the Class A basketball state championship back-to-back in 2001 and ?02.