Wampus Cats notch biggest win of season

CLARK FORK — Playing what their coach called the best game of the year, the Wampus Cats scored a 57-51 win over Kootenai in North Star League boys basketball Tuesday night at Clark Fork High School.

Sophomore Zack Klein attacked the rim and dropped in a team-high 19 points to go with four steals, Nate Nesbitt posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Stillman Berkley scored 10 on a memorable Senior Night.

“I was proud of them. Best game we’ve played all year,” said a happy Clark Fork coach Corey Vogel after the game. “We were patient on offense, rotated the ball and ran our offense the way we were supposed to.”

The Wampus Cats (5-9, 2-6 NSL) committed only 18 turnovers, exacting revenge from a 67-33 loss to the Warriors (5-10, 3-4 NSL) earlier in the season.

Jake Zarpentine scored a game-high 22 points to lead Kootenai, no small accomplishment considering the Cats locked Nate Nesbitt on him in a box-in-one.

James Becker pulled down seven rebounds and Howard Katzenberg dished out four assists, as the two were honored with Nesbitt, Vasya Walker, Mike Kang, Chris Garlin and D.J. Jackson on Senior night.

Clark Fork is at Stillwater Christian today.

Kootenai     8    15    15    13 — 51

Clark Fork  9    21    15    12 — 57

KOOTENAI — Jake Zarpentine 22, Myhre 12, Whipple 2, Carman 2, Pheiffer 3, Kraack 10.

CLARK FORK — N. Nesbitt 14, Berkley 12, Katzenberg 4, Klein 19, Becker 4, Z. Nesbitt 4, Bristol 0, Walker 0, Cox 0, Kang 0, Garlin 0.