GIRLS BASKETBALL: Defensive minded Adams swarms Rochester
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
ROCHESTER HILLS — Sometimes one team just has another’s number.
Such as the case for Rochester Adams in its girls basketball rivalry with Rochester.
The Highlanders continued their recent dominance over the Falcons, posting a 58-27 OAA crossover victory Friday over shorthanded Rochester in the 10th annual Crosstown Showdown at Oakland University’s O’Rena.
Adams came out with a swift 13-0 run to take control and Rochester never made a game of it. In fact, the Falcons struggled to bring the ball up court against Adams’ pressure defense, committing 10 turnovers during the first quarter alone and 26 for the game.
“That’s the way we always start games,” said Adams coach Shay Lewis. “Today, we did it a little different in starting the seniors. This is the last time they will get to play in this type of atmosphere. But we didn’t play the game any differently.”
Rochester, which lost three starters to knee injuries this season — senior point guard Zo Shultz, sophomore guard Paola Barazza and senior guard Delaney Norgrove — and have struggled shooting the ball all season. Those ailments continued to plague the Falcons against Adams.
The Highlanders, who are now 2-6, held Rochester to a 10-for-40 shooting night from of the floor (25 percent) and 0-for-11 from three-point range.
The Highlanders used a steady 17-7 run in the second quarter and a 11-4 third-quarter surge for a 41-11 advantage through three quarters of play.
Rochester (2-7) never scored a point in the contest until sophomore Alyssa Miller swished a layup with 7:25 left in the second quarter. The Falcons never got closer than 13 points the rest of the way.
Adams limited Rochester to a pair of free throws and one field goal in the third quarter many and led by as many as 32 points early in the fourth quarter.
“The other night we played with great energy against (Southfield) Lathrup. We lost by 11 but I was pleased how we played against a (state-ranked) team like that,” noted Lewis. “I thought we played with the same energy tonight and we played with energy for the whole game.”
Adams finished the night 18-for-54 shooting (33.3 percent) and swished 17-of-29 free throws.
Senior guard Taylor Smith, a transfer from Linden who has committed to Division II Lake Superior State, led a balanced attack with 13 points, five rebounds, three steals and three assists.
Junior guard Nicole Shaw scored 10 points, junior guard Hannah Simard added seven points, eight rebounds, three steals and three assists, and junior forward Maggie Rogers contributed eight points and four steals.
Junior Ryian Owusu (eight points), senior guard Nykka Brigoli (Five rebounds, four assists) and Makayla (six points) also got into the Highlanders’ balanced act.
Adams swiped 14 passes and out-rebounded Rochester 42-28.
Senior forward Angie Lekosiotis (seven points), junior forward Nicole Cubba (seven points, four rebounds) and Miller (five points, eight rebounds) led Rochester.
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