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Clarkston sophomore forward Bella Flavin (32) scores two of her team-high 18 points in the Wolves’ 61-37 home loss to Orchard Lake St. Mary’s on Tuesday. (BRYAN EVERSON – MediaNews Group)<\/p>\nCLARKSTON \u2013 The defense and array of Orchard Lake St. Mary\u2019s shooters played a big part, but Tuesday was simply not Clarkston\u2019s night.<\/p>\n
In an early season showdown between two of Oakland County\u2019s most talented teams, the Wolves struggled mightily to find the bottom of the net, suffering their first loss, 61-37, to the Eaglets.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat first half was atrocious,\u201d Clarkston head coach Aaron Goodnough said plainly. \u201cThat\u2019s what we said (at halftime) after we were down 11. I\u2019m like, we literally made nothing. We missed so (many shots). It is what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
She saved the best for the second half, but St. Mary\u2019s junior guard Allie Crighton, along with senior forward Brooke Shockey (12 points) got the visitors out to an 11-3 lead by the end of the first quarter, a spurt only interrupted by a 3-pointer by Clarkston junior guard Brooklyn Covert.<\/p>\n
The Wolves had some decent looks as the opening half wore on, but nothing seemed to fall outside the paint. Part of that has to be credited to the Eaglets, who held Oxford and Bloomfield Hills to a combined 39 points in their first two conquests of the winter.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cI think (the win) started with our defense,\u201d OLSM head coach Brad Crighton said. \u201cWe really bought into what we were doing. I thought Jess (Asmussen) did a great job on Elli (Robak). Because all five girls out on the floor can score. But our team defense, Reese (Holton) was ready to help. We were in the right spots. Rebounding, we did a great job. It was a great team win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Allie Crighton, who had a combined 47 points in those aforementioned victories, really flashed her scoring ability after the interval. Following a triple by Wolves sophomore Brooke Bond that cut cut the lead to 16, Crighton knocked down a three and scored on back-to-back possessions as part of a 13-2 run that put the game away before the fourth quarter had even gotten started.<\/p>\n
Clarkston sophomore forward Bella Flavin (32) scores two of her team-high 18 points in the Wolves’ 61-37 home loss to Orchard Lake St. Mary’s on Tuesday. (BRYAN EVERSON – MediaNews Group)<\/p>\n
Half of St. Mary\u2019s 24 points in the third came from Crighton, who knocked down four 3-pointers altogether and finished with a game-high 25 points.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s always been a shooter, and I think her defense was really good today,\u201d Brad Crighton said of Allie. \u201cI think that was a step up. She\u2019s starting to see the floor very well \u2026 She\u2019s just grown up. She\u2019s matured. I think that\u2019s just (come with) another year under her belt, and that\u2019s what she needed. She\u2019s really been working out, getting stronger, too, so that\u2019s helped her as well when she\u2019s getting bumped off everything, because it\u2019s going to be a physical game.\u201d<\/p>\n