Little helps Avondale avenge Clarkston, pull into OAA-Red tie
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
CLARKSTON — It was only three weeks ago when Auburn Hills Avondale agonizingly came up one-point shy to Clarkston in a marquee girls basketball game.
On Tuesday, the Yellowjackets gained their revenge.
Avondale pulled into a first place tie in the OAA Red Division with Clarkston, posting a 49-42 road triumph over the Wolves.
“Our goal is (to go all the way (and win the league),” smiled senior forward Hannah Little.
RISE ABOVE: Auburn Hills Avondale's Hannah Little (No. 11) leaps up above Clarkston's Haley Daugherty during Tuesday's OAA Red Division contest. Photo | Ken Swart, Swart Photography.
Little took the lead and the rest of the Yellowjackets are surely following. Little scored a game-high 27 points with 17 rebounds and three blocked shots for Avondale (10-4, 8-2). Carolyn Gracey added 10 points, four rebounds and three steals and Quinnece Garrison scored eight for the Yellowjackets.
“It’s unfortunate that we gave up (the one loss to Clarkston) early,” admitted Avondale coach Dave Muczynski. “I thought we only had a good half against them, the second half (last time). This time, obviously, it’s good to get the win.”
Little was nearly a one-woman wrecking crew, scoring over half of her team’s points with over half of her team’s 27 rebounds.
“I have talked about how Hannah could score 30 a game if we wanted her to. But she’s such an unselfish player. She gets everyone involved around her and make everyone around her better,” added Muczynski. “You look at the numbers and you have to ask how many assists she had or how many nice passes she made. She does a lot more than just score and rebound.”
Avondale forced 20 turnovers and led 34-31 entering the fourth quarter, before closing out with a 15-11 run. Little scored eight, including six from the foul line, down to stretch to helped Avondale hold on at the end.
The Yellowjackets led by as many as nine points, 42-33, with 4:34 left in the game. Clarkston made one final push and closed to within 42-38 with 2:10 to go but could get no closer.
Both teams traded off 20 points in the first half, as Clarkston’s Megan Hastings was 5-for-5 from outside of the arc to score 15 of her team’s 20 points by the break. Little twined 10 points by the half.
“We talked at the half about doing something differently on her. She was hitting her shots in the first half,” said Muczynski of Hastings. “I thought we did a much better job getting out on their shooters and we didn’t give them very many easy looks at the basket.”
Hastings finished 6-for-7 from outside the arc and scored a team-high 21 points with four steals for Clarkston. Erika Davenport added 11 points, 10 rebounds and three steals for the Wolves.
It was the second straight loss for the season for state-ranked Clarkston (12-2, 8-2), which also lost at Southfield Lathrup last Thursday.
“We just didn’t execute. Our half-court man-to-man just couldn’t get (Hastings the ball in the second half),” said Clarkston coach Tim Wasilk. “They probably paid more attention to her as well. At the same time we needed other kids to step up and hit some shots and play tough and it didn’t happen.”
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Category: Auburn Hills Avondale, Clarkston, High School, High School (M-Z), Prep Wraps
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