Clarkston feasts on Troy to hand Colts first loss

FAST APPROACHING: Clarkston's Anna Manilla goes in for the lay-up and Troy's Kristin Soreide attempts to make the block during Monday's OAA Red Division game. Staff Photo | Dan stickradt.

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

CLARKSTON — Clarkston smelled blood on Monday night and the Wolves had themselves a feast.

With visiting Troy suspending junior point guard Karin Moss for the first half, the Wolves opened the game with an 11-3 run over the game’s first four minutes and never looked back and simply mauled the Colts for dinner. Clarkston rolled to a 46-31 triumph over Troy, which was handed its first OAA Red Division loss.

The Wolves’ win avenged a 41-34 defeat to the Colts back on Dec. 2.

“We worked hard in the summer, laying in a league at Detroit Cecilia and a fall league in Rochester. I think all of the girls were involved. They wanted to get better,” said Clarkston coach Tim Wasilk, whose team struggled to a sub-five hundred record last season. “We can see that each game we get a little better, we gain a little more confidence. The new kids are getting more confident in what we are trying to do. We have seven returnees and they are giving the leadership that we need.”

UP FOR TWO: Clarkston's Anna Manilla looks to bank in a short-range hook over Troy's Sabrina Cotton. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

Clarkston (5-4, 3-3) received great balance with three players scoring eight points apiece and 10 of 12 reaching the scoring column. Anna Manilla scored eight with five rebounds, Megan Hastings added eight points and three steals and Christina Jokisch also chipped in with eight points for the Wolves.

Delaney Kenny followed with six points and four assists for the Wolves, who led 15-4 after the first quarter and 26-7 at the half.

“This is, by far, the best we have played tonight,” said Wasilk. “We have been shooting better the past few games and we are a better team than last year.”

Troy’s Moss was inserted at the beginning of the third quarter with her team trailing by 19 points. Although she finished with a game-high 14 points, her team was never able to close the game down to single digits.

The Wolves pushed the lead to 40-15 through three quarters, thanks to a 14-8 run in the third period.

Using a full-court press, Troy closed with a 16-6 run and at one point of the fourth stanza got to within 13 points (44-31) with 1:05 left. Time ran out before the Colts could make a serious threat.

Troy finished the night a dismal 10-for-60 from the floor (16.7 percent), making just 4-of-19 three-pointers and  54 percent from the foul line (7-of-13).

“Karin missed practice on Friday and I said before the season if you miss a practice, then you don’t play the first half the next game. The girls understand that,” said Dennis Koch. “We struggled without her. We’ll learn from this and move on. I did like the way we played at the end. We outscored them in the second half (24-20). I thought we hustled and played hard.”

Sabrina Cotton added nine points and six rebounds for Troy, which held a 36-29 edge on the boards and forced 17 turnovers.

Troy has another road game Tuesday at Southfield Lathrup before heading on the road for a third time Friday at North Farmington.

Clarkston hosts rival Lake Orion on Friday.

“We have not beat them in I think four years. We’re due,” said Wasilk of the facing Lake Orion. “They’re our rivals, so we’ll be ready for them. They are a good program that has been very successful the past few years.”

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Tags: girls basketball, prep girls basketball

Category: Clarkston, Prep Wraps, Troy