Genesis Wilkinson powers East Valley past Clarkston in Great Northern League girls showdown

It isn’t how you start, but how you finish, and East Valley girls basketball star Genesis Wilkinson is proof of the adage.

The Knights couldn’t get out of their own way for much of Tuesday’s Great Northern League first-place showdown against visiting Clarkston, ranked first and fifth, respectively, in the WIAA ratings poll.

After zipping to a 7-0 start, the hosts found themselves down three points by intermission.

With Wilkinson spearheading a second-half rally, EV outscored the Bantams 13-2 and took a 10-point lead.

It was short-lived when Clarkston wiped out the deficit and regained the lead midway through the fourth quarter.

But down the stretch that didn’t deter Wilkinson, a beast on the boards who scored the game’s final six points for a 52-47 triumph.

The victory avenged an earlier two-point loss to Clarkston (12-3 overall, 7-2 in league). EV (15-1, 8-1) has three games remaining to determine the GNL title.

“To me, Genesis made the difference,” Clarkston coach Debbie Sobotta said. “She’s a beast.”

EV coach Rob Collins echoed Sobotta’s comments. “Jen can take over a game,” he said. “She’s competitive and fiery.”

Both teams pressed, but the Knights tried to push the ball with a high-octane style that was ill-suited against a quicker foe, resulting in a sloppy effort.

After EV raced to a 7-0 lead, the Bantams outscored the Knights 14-2. Clarkston led 19-16 early in the second period on Ashlyn Wallace’s 3-pointer and took that lead into intermission

EV found its legs, roaring ahead 44-34 before falling behind by a point with 3:53 left in the game.

It was Wilkinson’s time. She scored on a rebound putback, forced a turnover and took it to the hoop at 1:45. Following a spate of turnovers by the teams, she hit a couple of free throws with 34 seconds left that settled the game.

“I don’t know, I’m just really competitive and it was a big game,” Wilkinson said. “I knew if we didn’t get it rolling, we weren’t going to win. I didn’t doubt for a minute.”

She scored 12 of her 16 points in the second half. EV’s Brie Holecek added 15 points, 10 in the first half.

McKenzie Packwood and Wallace scored 17 apiece for Clarkston.