Eagles Drop Heartbreaker in Overtime Thriller 71-68 to Adams

FERNDALE – When Ferndale and Adams faced each other in December, the Eagles needed a last second 3-pointer to steal a 61-58 win on the Highlanders home court.

Adams returned the favor on Thursday night with a thrilling 71-68 overtime win at Ferndale with a steal of its own.

Ferndale had two opportunities to tie the game in the final 15 seconds and Adams stopped both of them. Anthony Garland missed a 3-pointer from the corner with a defender in his face with 10.6 seconds left. Adams then tipped the ball out of bounds, giving Ferndale a second shot at sending the game into another overtime. 

On the ensuing inbound ball, Garland was looking for Eagles leading scorer Jordan Guinn in the corner. Adams defended Guinn perfectly and the ball sailed on him when he tried to get it to Tavion Bowers at the top of the key.

“The play was pick to the corner for Jordan looking for the three,” Ferndale coach Tom Staton said. “If the three wasn’t there we were going to rotate it, swing the inbounder off the bottom pick to the other corner. He sees Jordan not open and throws it away and we don’t even get a shot off. That’s tough.”

The Highlanders (8-6; 6-5 Oakland Activities Association White) grabbed the ball for the steal and ran out the clock. 

“We weren’t worried about them scoring inside on the out of bounds play so we were able to flair out on everything and we were able to get hand on the ball,” Adams coach John Hall said.

That wasn’t the only dramatic moment of the game. The Highlanders held the lead for over 47 minutes of regulation until a late surge brought the Eagles (8-5; 5-4 OAA White) within three.

Down 62-59 in the final minute of the fourth quarter Ferndale attempted to get an easy basket inside. Willie Harvey missed in front of the basket and almost sent the ball out of bounds trying to get the rebound.

Garland made a save and found Guinn wide open behind the 3-point line. Guinn hit the shot and tied the game 62-62 with 34 seconds left in regulation as the crowd went wild.

Adams brought the ball up the court and tried to run a set play. Ferndale’s defense clogged the lane and Adams' Andrew Hammett barely got a shot off before time expired. Hammett’s shot bounced off the rim and the game went into overtime.

“What a great game,” Hall said. “The kids battled. We lead the whole game, were never behind until they tied it in last seconds. For us not to fold, our kids showed a lot of character tonight.”

In the first half, the Eagles struggled defending the Highlanders offensive balance. In the opening four minutes, the Highlanders had two 6-0 runs and were able to get some easy layups off screens. Four different starters scored four points during the stretch.

“That’s been the key for us all year,” Hall said. “When we play well, we have five or six guys that score or more, we’re evenly distributed and that makes us hard to guard.” 

Ferndale amped up its press late in the third quarter and gained some momentum. There was a 90 second stretch in the fourth quarter where Adams couldn’t even advance the ball past the half court line.

The Highlanders 12-point third quarter lead shrunk to two with four minutes to go in the fourth.

“In the third and forth quarter we pressed them and wore them down,” Staton said. “They turned the ball over and couldn’t get over half court.”

The problem for the Eagles was that they lacked the balance that Adams had. Guinn and Harvey combined for over 70 percent of Ferndale’s points, Guinn had 23 points and Harvey had 26. Late in the game Adams defenders knew where the ball was going and made it tough on the Eagles top scorers.

Ferndale senior Joe Baker, one of its top playmakers, was sorely missed. The guard was suspended for an incident during one of his classes and missed the game.

“Just for a day” Staton said. “He talked back to a teacher. It’s just the one game, once he’s suspended, he can’t show up on school property.”

The Eagles will get him back for Saturday’s makeup game at Stoney Creek. Ferndale lost to the Cougars 71-65 last week and will be looking to stop its two game losing streak. 

Note - It was Bowers' first game for the Eagles. The point guard was academically ineligible to start the season, but with his grades sorted out he's back on the roster for Ferndale. The Eagles received a technical foul for not having him properly listed on the roster they gave to Adams before the game. Adams scorer noticed it in the third quarter and Bowers was allowed to play, but the Highlanders were awarded two free throws.