Clean Sweep: Waterford Lakes holds off league champ Everest Collegiate for second time
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
WATERFORD — Due to injuries, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes did not win the CHSL Intersectional title in boys basketball this winter. The title belongs to neighboring rival Clarkston Everest Collegiate.
The Lakers, however, can stake claim to being the only team to beat the Mountaineers in division play this season — twice.
UP AND OVER: Clarkston Everest Collegiate's Donald Allen fires this shot over Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes' Vinny Puma during Tuesday's CHSL Intersectional contest. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
WOLL held off Everest Collegiate, 42-39, Tuesday night in Waterford for the regular season sweep, which clinches the runner-up spot in the six-school division. Lakes (9-7, 7-3) finishes one game back of the Mountaineers (13-4, 8-2) even though they were able to pull the season sweep.
“We knew we had to come in and play hard and play four quarters of basketball,” said Lakes coach Sean Wightman. “They could have beat us tonight, but we didn’t let it happen. We know that they will go into the Catholic High School League tournament this weekend and they will be very good.
“For us, this is the time of the season that we want to get things going,” continued Wightman. “We had a difficult start (to the season) with a lot of injuries. But things are starting to go our way a little bit.”
DRIVING PAST: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes' Steven Losiowski tries to maneuver past Clarkston Everest Collegiate's Richie Cross during the Lakers' 42-39 triumph. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
Junior Garrett Ross was all over the floor for the Lakers, finishing with a game-high 16 points to go along with eight rebounds, four blocked shots, four steals and a pair of assists for good measure. Ross was 5-of-6 from the foul line in the final 5:10 of the game, and converted 3-of-4 from the charity stripe in the final 25 seconds.
Ironically, Ross missed a second free throw with 3.9 seconds left, but Mitch Lascecki’s desperation half-court shot that would have forced overtime fell short at the final buzzer.
WOLL led 35-30 with 5:10 to play but had a hard time shaking loose the Mountaineers. Everest Collegiate closed the gap to 40-37 with 14.2 seconds left when Richie Cross sank 2-of-3 free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt.
After Vinny Puma split a pair from the line with 16.5 ticks left that gave the Lakers a 41-37 cushion, Ben Marcial trimmed the deficit down to 41-39 with 6.0 seconds left when he scored on a putback. The Mountaineers could not complete the comeback.
Everest Collegiate coach Anne Lowney, who started the program in 2009-10, is proud of her team for winning their first league crown but felt this game in particular was winnable and blamed a series of small mistakes for the loss.
“We couldn’t hit the free throws, we had a turnover (with 35 seconds left) in the corner. It was those kind of little things,” noted Lowney. “We lost by (three), but we gave up a three-pointer at the end of the first quarter and another (three) just before halftime. You can’t have those little mistakes against a good team.”
Everest led 13-10 after the first quarter, only to see Lakes go on a 13-06 run in the second quarter for a 23-19 lead at the half. The Lakers led 31-27 entering the fourth quarter.
Jake Weir added eight points and five rebounds and Jake Doetsch chipped in with eight points and four boards for Lakes.
Donald Allen finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds to pace Everest Collegiate. Cross scored 14 and Blake Beauchamp had six points, five rebounds and four steals for the Moutaineers, who had just four players reach the scoring column.
The two schools could face a third time this season if both advance to the district finals.
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