BY ED DAVIS
Clarkston News Sports Writer
The Clarkston High School varsity basketball team spent the first four and a half minutes searching for its first field goal. But Waterford Kettering spent the rest of the game trying to stop Brad Goodman and Chris Johnston.
Johnston’s continued strong performance inside, coupled with an 11-for-14 foul shot performance raised havoc for the Captain defense all night long. When Kettering’s double and triple teaming of the Wovles? big man forced Clarkston to seek other options, the guard play of Goodman helped the Wolves capture their 11th consecutive district title in a heated 69-57 win March 12 at Lapeer East High School. Goodman and Johnston combined for 43 points.
Goodman talked about the Wolves strategy. ‘Coach at halftime talked about how we wanted to get the ball inside to Johnston. Not just him scoring, but it opens up a lot of stuff outside and it helped us get into the lanes and shooting wide open shots.?
The Wolves started slow in front of a packed house at Lapeer East High School. The Wolves first field goal didn’t come until there was 3:38 left in the first quarter thanks to a basket by Johnston which cut an early Captain lead to 7-6. Waterford continued to play well early and built a 12-6 lead with 2:45 to play, but a late Clarkston run led by Robbie Clark, who ended the game with 15 points helped the Wolves end the first quarter with a slim 15-14 lead.
The Wolves continued to look for Johnston inside during the second quarter as the teams traded several leads. The Wolves began to gain some momentum however on a 3-pointer by Kyle Rademacher, which put Clarkston up by four with less than 1:30 to play in the first half. But it was a great individual effort and hustle by Johnston which made the Clarkston section erupt. The 6-foot-6 senior made a rare dunk on the offensive end, and then ran the length of the floor to block a Waterford Kettering shot on the other end. Clarkston led 35-30 at the break. The five-point lead might have made the Clarkston fans happy, but it didn’t sit well with Clarkston coach Dan Fife.
‘I’m never not nevous. I’m a worrier. That’s my nature. When it gets to this point, there’s not a lot of strategy and what I can say to kids. It’s really up to my players. I’m not going to come in here and draw something that’s going to stun everybody. I’m not that smart to start with and the kids know I’m not that smart. It really comes down to the will to win. They know what it takes for us to win,? he said.
‘Johnston’s dunk and his block at the other end really sparked us,? Goodman said. ‘It was good to get a lead at halftime, especially the way they were shooting the ball, they were playing. It was a relief to get the halftime lead for sure.?
Wateford Kettering coach Phil Dawson said his team, even after the dunk by Johnston was right where it wanted to be.
‘If you would’ve told me yesterday that we were down by only five at halftime I would’ve jumped at it. Johnston did a heck of a job. He’s the best player I’ve seen all year by far. I think our kids battled and our program took a big step tonight,? he said.
Goodman helped set the tone in the third quarter, which saw the Wolves outscore the Captains 19-13. His 3-pointer with 4:35 to play, paired with four straight free throws after Kettering got called for a technical foul put the Wolves up by 14 and Kettering was never able to cut the difference to single digits the rest of the way. Kettering ended the season 14-8.
However, while the Wolves looked impressive, especially in the third quarter, this game was closer than the score indicated, and was one Clarkston head coach Dan Fife is very happy to be done with.
‘I’m so happy this is over and we got a win,? Fife said. ‘I’d rather not be wearing the bullseye. It’s easier to play when you don’t have the bullseye on your back. I give the Kettering kids credit. I think they out competed us.?
The Captains did hustle more for loose balls and got a lot of second and third shot opportunities throughout the game. And while the crowd enjoyed Johnston’s dunk and block at the end of the first half, the lack of hustle by the other Clarkston players on the floor did not sit well with Fife. ‘I’m not big on dunks. If that gives us momentum that’s fine, but it made me mad that he had to run all the way back and make the block because the kids were loafing back getting all caught up in his dunk. If he doesn’t hustle back, they get an easy basket so the dunk meant nothing.?
Fife credited Goodman however as being the difference in the game. ‘He’s quicker than people think, a better shooter than people think and a better ball handler than people think and he’s an excellent free throw shooter. Johnston’s our go-to guy, but Brad’s attitude and who he is, is who we are.?
The win improved Clarkston’s record to 18-4 and sets up a showdown Wednesday night to play St. Johns at 7 p.m. at Chippewa Valley. The regional also includes host Chippewa Valley and Walled Lake Western. The Wolves have never gone further than the quarterfinals, but Fife credits this group as being a special group.
‘They’ve been a great group to coach. Everybody’s saying we’re supposed to win. Winning these things (district championships) isn’t easy. I don’t care who you are, and I take pride that we’ve won a lot of them, not to take anything to take away from the teams we play here (in the Lapeer East district). I can’t stand losing. At 54, I think I hate losing more now than when I was eight years old on the pitcher’s mound crying trying to strike everybody out.?