GIRLS BASKETBALL: Rochester Adams rolls by Rochester for eight straight ‘Showdown’ win
BY DAN STICKRADT
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ROCHESTER HILLS — Rochester Adams picked the right time to come out of a team shooting slump.
The Highlanders scored a season-high of points in a 60-36 victory over arch-rival Rochester in the 12th annual Crosstown Showdown at the Oakland University O’Rena.
Adams has now won eight straight against the Falcons in the event, which started back in 2007.
“This game means everything,” noted Adams coach Shay Lewis, a former standout for the Highlanders in the mid-1990s. “This is what all the girls that play freshman, JV and those fortunate enough to make it up to varsity look forward to. I look forward to coaching this one. To be able to go against your rivals on a big stage like this is awesome.
“We haven’t been shooting that well, but we did tonight,” continued Lewis. Early in the season, we concentrated on defense and the first couple of weeks we really didn’t tough the basketball. But now we are really working on our shooting and we did a great job (in this game).”
Tied 8-8, the Highlanders ventured on a 9-0 run — all on three-pointers by Lauren Petersmark (two) and Makayla Smith (one) — that gave Adams a 17-8 lead late in the first quarter.
The Highlanders never looked back.
Adams led 29-22 at the half, thanks to 6-for-13 shooting from three-point range over the first 16 minutes, and broke the game open thanks to a 14-0 run beginning at 5:37 of the third quarter until there was 1:56 left in the frame.
The Highlanders (2-9) led 44-26 at that time, with Smith scoring eight points in the third-quarter run.
Smith, a senior three-year veteran at Adams after transferring over from Rochester Hills Christian, pumped in a game-high 24 points and for good measure chipped in with seven rebounds, six assists and a pair of steals to pace the Highlanders, who are now 9-2 in games played against Rochester at the O’Rena.
“It means a lot to get this one, we’re just trying to keep the tradition going,” smiled Smith. “The team really stepped up in the second half. We had different girls stepping up. This is a really good game for us, hopefully this keeps us going the rest of the season.”
Petersmark, a sharp-shooting freshman, finished 4-for-7 for outside the three-point arc and added 20 points and three steals.
Rochester (2-9) picked up seven points apiece from senior Jenna Norgrove and junior Tori Hawkins. Sophomore Laura Kucera added five points and a game-high nine rebounds for the Falcons, who were plagued by 25 turnovers.
Rochester held a 30-25 edge on the boards.
“We didn’t play very well in the third quarter and we let them go on that mini run in the second quarter. That gave them confidence,” said Rochester coach Al Poynter. “We gave up too many three-pointers in those runs. You have to guard the three. We have been playing better overall lately, but their shooting and our turnovers hurt us. We fell into a large hole. The game kind of got away from us.”
Adams finished the night 23-for-52 shooting (44.3 percent), including 7-for-18 from three-point land (38.9 percent), and outscored the Falcons 31-14 in the second half to pull away.
Rochester was held to 12-for-48 shooting (25 percent).
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