BOYS BASKETBALL: Mims’ free throws lift Rochester Adams past Stoney Creek in Crosstown Showdown
BY DAN STICKRADT
CORRESPONDENT
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
ROCHESTER HILLS — Justice Mims must have ice in his veins.
The sophomore guard from Rochester Adams hit two free throws with two seconds left and helped lock down Rochester Stoney Creek in the waning seconds during the Highlanders’ 38-37 OAA White Division win Friday in the Crosstown Showdown at Oakland University.
“I just drove in because they told me whenever I get the ball and get space, just attack it,” smiled Mims, who spent last season on the Adams freshman team while the varsity captured the OAA White Division championship. “Once I got to the free throw line I just thought about all the times we had and fans and practice, then I made two free throws, knocked them down. I was nervous, but I knew I had to make those shots.”
Mims finished with a team-high 14 points and three rebounds, as the Highlanders (3-7, 1-4) kept finding ways to come back on the Cougars and defeat them for the second straight season.
“That kid has so much character, so much character. (He’s) high academic, high motor. I can coach him the hardest, he responds the best,” said first-year Adams coach Jared Thomas of Mims. “For him to make those two free throws in that situation … no one deserves it more than him.”
Adams only returned three of 12 players from last season and only two healthy enough to see the court. A rebuilding season of frustrations just reached a turning point for the Highlanders (3-7).
“These kids deserve it, they deserve it, it’s been a tough stretch of games,” said Thomas. “They approach practice everyday as if we’re 9-0, there’s no quit to them. I’m so proud of them from every single guy on that bench, they bring it. We knew it was a tough task, Stoney Creek is an amazing opponent especially for a rivalry game. It’s been a frustrating season at times. But hopefully this win will help us, give us some confidence.”
Stoney Creek led 10-5 after the first quarter and 18-14 at the half. The second half was delayed 40 minutes due to a scoreboard malfunction.
That set the stage for a wild second half that saw multiple lead changes.
Back-to-back steals by junior guard Trevor Smith which led to layups by Ethan Smydra and Smith gave the Cougars their last lead at 37-36 with 35 seconds remaining.
Adams eventually went to the hot hands of Mims, who delivered the knockout free throws.
“I think we fouled. I don’t have any dispute that that last play was a foul but i was not happy with how the game ended.,” said Stoney Creek coach Steve Norgrove. “The game kind of got away from the (officiating) crew a little bit. We were calling for timeout, we had the ball, they called a jump ball, and those are the breaks of the game I guess. It’s hard to stomach right now, but we’ve got to play through those things. We had our chances.”
Adams finished just 35.9 percent from the floor (14-for-39) and 25 percent from 3-point range (5-for-20). The Highlanders forced Stoney Creek into an uncharacteristic 16 turnovers.
Senior guard Jack Santella, a key reserve last season, added six points, while 6-5 senior forward Peyton Prieskorn — the team’s sole returning starter — added five points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals for Adams.
Smith scored a game-high 16 points for Stoney Creek (5-6, 1-4) to go along with four assists, three rebounds and three steals. The Division I recruit didn’t get much help on the offensive end.
The Cougars finished just 38.5 percent from the floor (15-for-39), 50 percent from the foul line (3-for-6) and only 23.6 percent from beyond the three-point arc (4-for-17).
Junior guard Lance Fogelberg scored six points, while Smydra, a 6-4 senior forward, contributed four points, six rebounds and three steals for Stoney Creek.
“I feel like we left some shots out there, shots we normally make,” added Norgrove. “We missed some easy shots and we had some untimely turnovers. we were never able to pull away in the second half.”
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