Another given Friday: Adams holds off Rochester for second straight week
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
ROCHESTER HILLS — For the first time in several years, Rochester and Rochester Adams’ girls basketball teams faced each other twice in the regular season.
As opposed to the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, the girls basketball teams from the rival schools have been in separate divisions of the Oakland Activities Association in the past decade. The two were reunited in the OAA White Division this season and that’s where Adams has swept the Falcons.
Adams posted a 39-32 victory Friday over the Falcons, earning its fourth win in five attempts against the Falcons at the annual Crosstown Showdown at Oakland University. Adams also defeated Rochester 51-33 the previous Friday.
“This was a league game for the first time I in a long time,” reminded Said Adams coach Fran Scislowicz. “We have been in separate divisions for the past several years.”
Adams caught fire in the third quarter, turning a 19-17 halftime deficit into a 33-23 advantage by the end of the third frame. The Highlanders (6 -2, 5-0), who now possess sole possession of first place in the OAA-White, went to its trapping and full-court defense in the third quarter to change course of the contest and create a 16-4 run.
“Offense is fickle and the ball started to go in for us and that gave us a chance to try to trap them a little more and once we got into our trap along with a little bit of shooting,” said Scislowicz. “But sometimes offense never comes. Sometimes it’s hard to trap if you are always back on defense the whole night.”
Rochester was forced into 17 turnovers, nine in the second half. The Highlanders limited the Falcons to a 10-for-39 shooting performance from the field (25.7 percent).
DIVING RIGHT IN: Rochester Adams' Jenny Rosonke (left) battles Rochester's Abby Rawling for the loose ball during Friday's Crosstown Showdown. Photo | Larry McKee, www.lmckeephotography.com
It was the Highlanders’ senior class that took the lead, as some have played in the Crosstown Showdown three or four times.
“Lauren Boyle and Lexi (Lewandowski) are bulldogs. They’re the heart of the Highlanders and they’ve been here a long time,” said Scislowicz. “They refuse to lose. At times we were playing two freshmen and two sophomores and sometimes that makes it a little hard to compete on such a big stage. But they were very comfortable with the seniors out there because of their leadership.
“We knew that and we wanted to stop Zhana (Randolph),” continued Scislowicz. “(Freshman Amber Jamison) she jumps really well blocks shots as well as anybody and Lexi helped with some nice defensive plays. We did a good job guarding them.”
Rochester (2-7, 1-4) opened the game with a 7-0 run and led11-10 after the first quarter.
Adams took its first lead on a 3-pointer by Lauren Boyle to open the second quarter and the Highlanders were able to extend the advantage to 17-11 thanks to a 7-0 run and keeping the Falcons off the scoreboard for the first 6:24 of the frame.
Rochester closed with a 7-0 run to take a 19-17 lead at the half.
Boyle led Adams with 11 points, Lewandowski added 11 points, five rebounds and three steals and Taylor Houghtlin chipped in with nine points, all on threes, for Adams. The Highlanders shot just 11-for-41 from the field (26.9 percent) but converted 9-of-15 free throws and four 3-pointers to distance themselves.
MAD DASH: Rochester Adams freshman Amber Jamison (top) beats Rochester's Anne Tucker to the ball during Friday's OAA White Division. Photo | Larry McKee, www.lmckeephotography.com
Randolph, who did not play in last week’s game, scored 13 to lead Rochester. Stephanie Von Behren added eight points and five rebounds and Lindsey Larivee scored four with eight rebounds.
The Falcons only won four games last season but have shown far more competitiveness this season. Rochester was able to 37-32 with 1:21 left, but could not convert another field goal attempt down the stretch.
“We’re still learning,” said Rochester coach Adam Shelton. “They made a little run on us in the third quarter. Our girls did a good job of fighting back. We came close at the end.
“We had some good looks. I think (Adams) did a nice job knocking down shots,” continued Sheldon. “I would like to look at their field goal percentage. They knocked down a lot of threes at key times.”
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The Rochester girl in the picture is Abby Rawling not Lindsey Larivee.