The boys’ varsity basketball team beat the Westminster Wildcats in the district semifinal game on Feb. 24 in Stuber Gym.  Senior guard Devonte Bell hit a game winning jumper with two seconds left in the game to break a 48-48 tie and give the Hounds the eventual win.  In that game, the team battled back from an early deficit before pulling out the close win.  Bell and junior guard Ahmad Smith both finished with a team-high 13 points.  In the district finals, the Hounds were not quite as fortunate.  After quickly falling behind by as much as 15 points against MICDS, the Hounds fought back and took the lead with three minutes to go in the game.  Eventually though, the team was not able to pull out the win before what was surely the largest crowd at Stuber Gym all season.  MICDS hit their free throws late and won 62-58, advancing to the sectional round.  Bell and junior guard Christian Thomas each had 22 points in a losing cause.  Bell seemed to will the team back into the game with three big three-pointers, but the Hounds were not able to make the key play late in the game.  Both games brought packed crowds to the Clayton gym, crowds that were hoping to see the Hounds make a state playoff run. That will just have to wait till next year.

“It’s good that the attitude at Clayton is now that rather than be content with making the district title game, we expect to go much further.  That’s an attitude that will be key in being successful in the near future,” head coach Ryan Luhning said.