Sports
High School Hoops: Rochester Boys Victorious Over Highlanders in Crosstown Showdown
Rochester sought revenge against the Highlanders in the fifth annual Crosstown Showdown at Oakland University.
The Rochester High School Falcons ended the fifth annual Crosstown Showdown with a 63-48 victory over notorious rival Adams High School.
The first half ended with a 25-25 tie with three-pointers raining on both sides, but the Falcons soared right out of the gate after halftime and started building a big lead.
The Hero: Nick Bradley drilled seven three-pointers for Rochester and led his team with 22 points.
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“Every time Bradley got his feet squared behind the three-point line, he made it,” Adams Coach John Hall said.
The Turning Point: The Falcons captured the momentum when Bradley hit one of his seven three-pointers to take a two-point lead with less than four minutes to go in the half.
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The momentum must have carried into the locker room, because the Falcons came out with a vengeance against their Highlander rivals.
Rochester came out of the gate after halftime and jumped out to a 38-27 lead by some clutch shots and turnovers.
The Quote: “It was a great win for the kids, especially for the seniors who hadn’t beat Adams yet,” Rochester Coach John Pleasant said.
“I always like to thank the sports departments for putting this event on. Not everyone gets to play in this collegiate-type atmosphere.”
Said Hall: “We’re having trouble meshing as a team. When we miss shots it can be frustrating, and it forces us to do things defensively we would rather avoid.”
The Bottom Line: The Falcons took control of everything in the third quarter.
They controlled the ball well, made free throws, and rebounded the ball well on both ends of the court.
Key Stat: Bradley hit seven three-pointers and finished the game with 22 points to lead the Falcons in scoring.
William Klotz scored 17 points for the Falcons, shooting 6-6 from the free throw line and a three-pointer.
James Berger and Nick Zekaj led the Highlanders with nine points and three triples each.
Who’s next? Rochester (7-4) plays at Andover on Saturday at 5 p.m. Adams (6-6) plays at Birmingham Seaholm on Tuesday.
