By HARRY KNITTER
Clarkston News Staff Writer
Just when its swarming defense began to resemble a squad of bees attracted to the ball as if it were dripping with honey, someone showed up with insect killer and stung the complacent Wolves where it hurts most, in their pride.
In the locker room after the game, there was silence, except for one voice that came through loud and clear. Coach Dan Fife didn’t mince words. The effort wasn’t there this week at practice, and certainly not for the game, he repeated. They lost, 53 to 40.
The Clarkston basketball Wolves picked a bad time for an off-night against the Wyoming Park Vikings Saturday and went down to their first defeat of the season after four solid wins. The action took place in the Meijer-sponsored fifth annual Holiday Hoops Invitational tournament at the Breslin Student Events Center on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing.
With Spartan Coach Tom Izzo among the spectators looking on, the Wolves played a flat first half, but trailed by a slim margin at halftime, 22 to 18. The Wolves missed countless shots under the basket and within close range.
In the third quarter, the Vikings, led by MSU-bound Craig Neitzel, took command over the Wolves and stretched their lead to 51 to 35 at one point, with 3:06 to go in the fourth quarter. Neitzel, son of one of the Wyoming coaches, outplayed the Clarkston guards with his slick ball handling and clever passes to his bigger men under the basket. Meanwhile, Clarkston’s attack was a study in futility. They missed long shots, short shots, and free throws.
Only Chris Johnston showed some spark with 13 points. Joe Moran chipped in with eight points.
Coach Dan Fife was livid in his closed-door meeting with his team after the game. He told them that he knew from their lackluster practices during the holiday week that they were vulnerable, and they proved him right.
‘You are a veteran team that should know better,? he commented. ‘They (the Vikings) just wanted the game more than we did.?
Now, with a record of 4-1, the team must quickly regroup after their disappointing loss to Wyoming Park and get back on track as their conference challengers loom on the horizon. Rochester is up first on the Jan. 9 in a Wolves home game; then they face Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in a non-league game, go up against a tough Pontiac Northern team on the 16th, take on Rochester Adams on the 20th, Pontiac Central on the 23rd, Troy on the 27th, and Southfield on the 30th.