DELLINGER GETS JOB DONE FOR WOLVES IN CRUNCH TIME, LIFTS WOLVES TO WIN AT BUZZER IN MLK CLASSIC

Being under the .500 mark was not a place the Clarkston's boys basketball team wanted to get comfortable residing at. Junior Matt Dellinger made certain the Wolves' stay under .500 was a relatively short one, sinking a game-winning layup at the buzzer to send Clarkston to a thrilling 62-61 victory over Detroit Renaissance Saturday evening at the Horatio Williams MLK Freedom Classic hosted by Warren Fitzgerald.

 

With the win, the perennially powerful Wolves even up their season record at 4-4. Following a loss to Flint Northern last week, Clarkston had fallen to 2-4. Saturday's exhilarating triumph courtesy of Dellinger's heroics has the Wolfpack riding a two-game winning streak. In a 55-30 defeat of Farmington Hills Harrison Thursday night, "Delli" scored six points and contributed his usual brand of gutty defense.

Against Renaissance on Saturday, Nick Tatu continued to show why he is one of the best perimeter shooters in the state, sticking 6 of 9 attempts from 3-point range en route to a game-high 26 points. Senior Marcus Hardy put in a very good performance in the post for head coach Dan Fife and the Wolves, scoring 14 points and grabbing eight boards.  

Tatu and Dellinger were both first-year varsity players last season as sophomores, helping guide C-Town to its 17^th straight district title. 2010 was Hardy's first year playing varsity at Clarkston, having suited up at Bloomfield Hills Lahser as a sophomore prior to transfering.

Off the basketball court, Dellinger is a standout football player, lining up at linebacker on defense and wide receiver on offense. This past fall, he was an integral component for the Wolves gridiron gang on both sides of the ball, helping the squad to an 8-3 overall record and a win in the first round of the playoffs.