T-Wolves Turn The Tide

Basketball

Technically, it was a comeback. Literally, it was a blowout.

Just call it your everyday 36-point turnaround.

Trailing by 15 points seconds into the second half, the Lake City High boys basketball team rebounded to a 74-53 victory over Clarkston in a Border League game that was a contest of two starkly opposite halves.

Clarkston did whatever it wanted in the first half. The Bantams made 16 of 28 shots from the field, including five uncontested layups, as they worked over the Timberwolves.

A jumper in the key by Brandon Howell in the waning seconds gave Clarkston a 38-26 lead at halftime.

It got worse for LC before it got better. Clarkston’s Shawn Burke hit a 3-pointer to open the third quarter, extending the Bantams’ lead to 41-26.

That’s when LC’s halftime adjustments - the T-Wolves used all of the 10-minute intermission in the locker room - began to manifest themselves.

LC came out in a triangle-and-2 defense, putting guards Matt Souza and Conor Hammons on Clarkston shooters Justin Fraser and Scott Sheldon. The duo had combined for 20 points in the first half.

In the second half, they went 0 for 6 from the field, the lone points coming on two free throws by Fraser.

Offensively, LC started penetrating Clarkston’s zone and passing the ball back out to open shooters on the perimeter.

“I knew we’d be flat after beating two of the best teams in the league (Cheney and West Valley),” said LC coach Jim Winger, whose team ran its home winning streak to 20. “But I didn’t think we’d be as flat as we were.”

LC (4-2 overall, 3-1 league) was as hot in the second half as it was lifeless in the first. The T-Wolves made 19 of 31 shots from the field in the final two quarters, 11 of 18 in the third period.

Leading the offensive turnaround was 6-foot-6 junior wing Matt Dlouhy. After making just 3 of 11 shots in the first half, he fired in 7 of 11 the final two quarters, including two ally-oop dunks. He finished with a season-high 25 points.

“In the first half, we let them shoot whenever and wherever they wanted,” Dlouhy said. “Souza and Hammons did a great job in the triangle-and-2. I’ve been struggling shooting so far. But I was feeling it in the second half.”

Souza also caught fire, scoring all 15 of his points, a season high, after halftime. Post Matt Stern added a season-high 14. Stern also had nine rebounds to match nine by Dlouhy. Hammons had seven assists and Souza had six key boards.

LC used a 17-2 run to tie the score at 43, the tying basket coming on a 3-pointer from Dlouhy with 3:11 to go in the third quarter.

Moments later, a 3-pointer by Souza and a breakaway acrobatic layup by Dlouhy gave LC a 52-47 lead at quarter’s end.

Girls: Lake City 48, Clarkston 47

Jesi Metz’ offensive rebound and put-back basket with 2 seconds left lifted Lake City to the Border League victory.

Ellen Smith, who finished with a team-high 18 points, turned a Lake City turnover into a one-point Bantams lead with :12 left in regulation.

Roslyn Folk tossed in 17 points to lead the Timberwolves, and Ingred Lochelt added 10 points, five rebounds and four steals.