Rochester survives Adams in double overtime
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
ROCHESTER HILLS — Rochester Adams erected a huge game plan for Wednesday evening: Stop Rochester’s dynamite duo of Taylor Perry and Paris Periera and make some other players beat the Highlanders.
Adams did halt the Falcons’ standout pair, but finally succumbed in the end to Rochester. The Falcons won for the 20th straight time — the third time this season against Adams — topping the host Highlanders, 50-47, in double overtime to advance to the Class A district finals.
Rochester (20-1) will face Lake Orion at 7 p.m. Friday at Adams and will try to win its first district trophy since 1988.
“We can’t be denied,” smiled 6-foot-7 junior center Arman Camaj, who had his best all-around game of his prep career. “I knew tonight that I had to go get every rebound and do whatever it takes to help my team win.”
Rochester rode the stellar play of Camaj, the defensive prowess of 6-3 junior Manny Mendoza and the sharpshooting of senior guard Mike Klotz, as the trio combined for 39 of Rochester’s 50 points, 18 rebounds, eight blocks and five assists in the win.
Rochester's Taylor Perry and the Falcons outlasted Rochester Adams in double overtime to advance to the district finals. File Photo | Ken Swart
Perry was held to just four points, seven rebounds and an assist on Rochester’s last bucket of regulation, while Pereira had six assists but was held scoreless for the first time in two years.
“I thought we’d had a great game plan. We fronted (Pereira and Perry) and guarded them. They just had some other guys step in and score for them,” said Adams assistant coach Chris Flynn, who sat in for head coach John Hall.
Adams sophomore guard Akhemji Williams scored a game-high 26 points, including a three-point bucket at the end of regulation that tied the game at 39-39.
Williams hit another three in the first overtime session that gave Adams a 44-42 lead, only to see Perry hit a leaner for Rochester with 1:50 left to send the game into a second overtime period.
Rochester, which already owns a double-overtime win over Lake Orion this season, outscored Adams 6-3 in the second overtime and 11-8 overall in the extra sessions.
“You have to give Adams a lot of credit. They had a great game plan,” said Rochester coach John Pleasant. “We feel very fortunate enough to escape with the win.”
Adams led 47-44 following two free throws from Williams and a freebie from James Berger with 2:12 to play. The Highlanders did not score again, going 0-for-5 from the floor with a turnover down the stretch.
It was the play of Camaj and Mendoza in the final three minutes that bailed the Falcons out of hot water.
After Perry missed a one-and-one situation, the lanky Camaj snuck in and hit the putback and ensuing free throw with 2:02 left to tie the score at 47-47.
Mendoza picked Berger’s pocket at midcourt and split a pair of free throw with 58.2 seconds left and Camaj banked home the putback with 56 ticks left for the 50-47 lead.
Williams missed a trio of threes in the waning seconds, including a wild three-point attempt at the final buzzer trying to forge a third overtime.
“We just did everything we could,” said Camaj. “We knew they would try to guard (Perry and Pereira) but we didn’t know they would run the triangle- (and-two) on them. We just had to step up.”
Klotz scored 14 points, including four threes, with four rebounds and four assists for Rochester, which led 16-10 after the first quarter and 20-18 at the half.
Zack Littleson had 13 points and four boards for Adams (13-9).
To submit information to www.northoaklandsports.com, e-mail dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com. To advertise, e-mail advertising@northoaklandsports.com . Follow us on Twitter @LocalSportsFans and more than a dozen other social media networks.
FOR MORE COVERAGE: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Basketball&x=13&y=12
* Have photos or video of this event that you wish to share? E-mail pertinent information to www.northoaklandsports.com Senior Editor Dan Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com or e-mail results@northoaklandsports.com.
Category: High School, High School (M-Z), Most Recently Updated Stories, Prep Wraps, Rochester, Rochester Adams, Top Stories, Uncategorized
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
FALL SPORTS
FOOTBALL: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Football&x=12&y=12
SOCCER: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=soccer&x=0&y=0
CROSS COUNTRY: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Cross+country&x=11&y=10
GOLF: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Golf&x=9&y=14
TENNIS: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Tennis&x=13&y=4
VOLLEYBALL: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Volleyball&x=0&y=9
SWIMMING: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Swimming&x=11&y=14
WINTER SPORTS
BASKETBALL: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Basketball&x=13&y=12
WRESTLING: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=wrestling&x=10&y=9
SKIING: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Skiing&x=5&y=14
GYMNASTICS: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Gymnastics&x=10&y=12
HOCKEY: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Hockey&x=11&y=14
SWIMMING: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Swimming&x=11&y=14
BOWLING: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Bowling&x=4&y=13
COMPETITIVE CHEER: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Competitive+Cheer&x=6&y=10
SPRING SPORTS
BASEBALL: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Baseball&x=16&y=13
SOFTBALL: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Softball&x=8&y=11
TRACK AND FIELD: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=track&x=14&y=11
LACROSSE: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=lacrosse&x=12&y=9
TENNIS: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Tennis&x=13&y=4
GOLF: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Golf&x=9&y=14
SOCCER: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=soccer&x=0&y=0