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 Updated:  12/05/2008

ADAMS HIGHLANDERS

2007-2008

Boys  Varsity Basketball

DAY

DATE

Opponent

H/A

Time
Tuesday12/4/2007TROYScore:56-46
The Adams Varsity team spent Tuesday evening working out their first game jitters against the very athletic Troy Colts.  Unfortunately, the Highlanders came out on the losing end of this contest.  The Colts pressed effectively, creating 29 Adams turnovers that Troy converted into a number of lay-ups and dunks.  The Highlander team hung tough throughout the game by shooting 18 for 22 from the free throw line, and trailed by only 6 with 1:30 left in the game.  The Colts were able to hold on to a victory through their tough defense.  Adams was led by J.D. Osborne’s 15 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.  Jake Heinrich chipped in 11 points.  John Zekaj followed with 8 points, and Brian Perry added 7 rebounds.
Friday12/7/2007EISENHOWERScore:58-52
The Adams Highlanders won a thriller at home on Friday beating Utica Eisenhower 58-56. Adams controlled the game throughout, taking a 9 point lead into the 4th quarter after leading the entire game. However, things tightened up considerably from that time and Eisenhower even took a 1 point lead with less than 2 minutes left in the game. J.D. Osborne then hit a tough runner to put Adams back on top. The Highlanders followed up hitting their free throws down the stretch to seal the win. Adams was much improved in taking care of the ball with 11 fewer turnovers than their first game. John Zekaj led the team in scoring with 11 points followed by Jake Heinrich and J.D. Osborne, each with 10 points. Jake and J.D. led the team with 3 assists. Michael Curry and J.D. each grabbed 7 rebounds.
Monday12/10/2007STONEY CREEKScore:46-34
The Adams Highlanders faced an emotional contest against their well-known neighbors, the Stoney Creek Cougars.  Both teams came in with the hopes of holding the upper hand in the upcoming, good natured trash talk that occurs when two teams who know each other so well battle.  And the Highlanders will hold the upper hand for a while.  Both teams fought hard and played excellent defense, not allowing easy shots throughout the game.  For three quarters, it was a close contest.  Adams held a 3 point lead going into the 4th quarter.  In the final period the Highlanders broke loose, outscoring Stoney Creek 17 to 8.  Adams' domination of the boards was a key in securing the win as they held a 32 to 16 advantage in rebounds.  John Zekaj led the team in scoring with 12 points and Kevin Rohner added 8 points.  Jake Heinrich and Michael Curry had 6 rebounds each, while Cameron Alveraz had 4 steals.
Thursday12/13/2007LAKE ORIONScore:43-58
The Highlanders put up a valiant effort against Lake Orion on Thursday night.  Adams played without 2 of their senior co-captains, Jake Heinrich and J.D. Osborne.  In spite of this, the Highlanders kept the game close throughout the night.  With 4 minutes left they were still within 6 points, and with a couple of breaks could have pulled off a major upset.  Instead, Lake Orion was able to hit their free throws down the stretch to extend their lead.  Adams was led by Kevin Rohner who scored 15, including 4 three pointers.  John Zekaj added 12 points and Brian Perry contributed 6 points and 6 rebounds.
Tuesday12/18/2007LAHSERScore:67-47
The Adams boys put together some nice stretches of basketball against Bloomfield Hills Lahser, winning 67 to 47. The Highlanders carried a 9 point lead into the half before dominating the 3rd quarter, scoring 16 while holding the Knights to 4 points for the quarter. Adams was led by Kevin Rohner, who scored 15 points, 9 of them off of 3 point shots. John Zekaj added 14 points and 7 rebounds, and Brian Perry chipped in 9 points. Jake Heinrich led the team in rebounding with 9.  
Thursday12/20/2007AVONDALEScore:55-59
 The Highlanders faced a very physical, quick Avondale team on Thursday night.  It was a back forth wrestling match all night long, with the style of reffing playing right into the hands of the “hands on” defense played by Avondale.  Adams played very well in stretches, and had an 8 point lead at one point in the second half.  However, the physicality began to wear on Adams late in the game and Avondale was able to create a number of turnovers leading to baskets and the win.  Adams was led by John Zekaj who scored 18 and led the team with 6 rebounds.  Kevin Rohner followed with 15, 9 of those off of 3 point shots.  J.D. Osborne had 8 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.  Jake Heinrich and Brian Perry added 5 rebounds each.
Thursday1/3/2008SOUTHFIELDScore:60-53
It looked like it was going to be a blowout when a strong Southfield team rattled off a 12-0 lead to start the game.  The crowd was putting on their coats and a number of fans were already fumbling with the keys to warm up the cars.  Then the Highlanders got hot.  Kevin Rohner hit 2 three-point shots, followed by a couple Adams of lay-ups with a Jake Heinrich 15 footer thrown in for good measure and the game was on.  After the 1st quarter the score was 14-12 Southfield. It was back and forth all night long after that.  Despite a solid Adams shooting night and a refusal to go away, Southfield pulled out the win through a very strong showing on the boards.  Adams was led by Rohner’s 24 points, and, rumor has it, a school record 7 three point makes.  Jake Heinrich added 10 points and led the team in rebounds with 6.
Tuesday1/8/2008FERNDALEScore:69-42
The Highlanders put on a dominant performance against Ferndale, outscoring their opponent in every quarter while marching to a proficient 69-42 win. Adams played well throughout the game, shooting 55% from 2 pt. field goal range, and 50% from 3 pt. land. They also limited their total turnovers to 9. Adams was led by J.D. Osborne’s 17 points. Kevin Rohner followed with 13. Jake Heinrich, Brian Perry and John Zekaj added 8 points each, while Zekaj chipped in 5 assists and Heinrich led the team with 4 rebounds
Friday1/11/2008ROCHESTERScore:59-26
Oakland University’s O’Rena was rocking during the 2nd Annual Crosstown Showdown between traditional rivals Rochester and Rochester Adams. The Adams team used this opportunity to dismantle Rochester before a Showdown record setting, raucous, screaming, and crazy crowd of about 3,000. Adams’ hardworking, trapping defense held Rochester to only 26 points and 8 made field goals. On the offensive end, 12 of the 13 Adams’ players dressed for the game made it into the scoring column. Adams was led by Kevin Rohner and JD Osborne, who had 14 and 13 points respectively. Cameron Alvarez and John Zekaj added 5 rebounds each, while Alvarez had 3 steals, and Joey Dillon led the team with 3 assists. From the Adams’ perspective, a fun night was had by all!
Monday1/14/2008WEST BLOOMFIELDScore:50-51
The Adams Highlanders played well at West Bloomfield on a snowy Tuesday night, in a gym far from home against a very good team. In fact, they played well enough to lead for all but 7 seconds of the game. However, it was the last 7 seconds that counted most, and West Bloomfield hit a lay up to take their only lead and hold it until the buzzer sounded, leaving Adams with a heartbreaking defeat after nearly pulling off the upset. One of the differences made was at the free throw line, where West Bloomfield shot 23 times, making 8, while the Highlanders only went to the line 12 times, making 8. Adams top 3 scorers accounted for 42 of their 50 points, led by Jake Heinrich and JD Osborne with 15 each. Kevin Rohner added 12. Heinrich and Osborne also led the team in rebounds with 7 each. Heinrich topped the team in steals with 3.
Thursday1/17/2008BIRMINGHAM GROVESScore:55-39
The winless Birmingham Groves team was able to keep it close for awhile. They were within 1 point of the Adams Highlanders going into the 4th quarter. In the final 8 minutes Adams used a 19 to 4 run to put Groves away. Adams was led by Kevin Rohner’s game high 23 points, with four 3 pointers. J.D. Osborne added 13 points and 4 steals. Jake Heinrich led the team with 9 rebounds and contributed 9 points.
Tuesday1/22/2008CLARKSTONScore:50-60
It was cold outside, but for the first half, it was even colder for the Adams Highlanders inside the Clarkston HS gym. Helped by some poor Adams shooting, Clarkston jumped out to a 26 to 13 halftime lead that proved difficult for the Adams boys to overcome. The second half went much better, especially for JD Osborne, whose hot hand helped Adams mount a comeback. Osborne had 11 second half points, which included three 3 point makes and helped Adams to significantly cut into the Clarkston lead. Unfortunately Clarkston was able to hold on for the win with some hot shooting of their own. Adams was led by JD Osborne’s 15 points, followed closely by Jake Heinrich with 13 points and 5 rebounds. Cameron Alvarez had 5 steals and Joey Dillon added 3 assists.
Friday1/25/2008ATHENSScore:61-47
The Adams boys jumped out to a 16 to 5 lead after the 1st quarter of the game against Troy Athens and were able to maintain that lead throughout. Solid shooting and solid defense on the part of Adams allowed for the win. The team shot 45% from the field and 71% from the free throw line, and their pressure defense caused a number of turnovers. J.D. Osborne maintained his hot hand and led the team in scoring with 15 points while hitting 3 out 4 three pointers, and had 8 rebounds. John Zekaj led the team in assists with 5 while Joey Dillon added 3 assists, and Cameron Alvarez led with 3 steals. Jake Heinrich chipped in with 9 points, Brian Perry added 8, and Conor Boyle contributed 5 rebounds.
Thursday1/31/2008LAKE ORIONScore:39-44
The Adams Highlanders played Lake Orion in a defensive, gritty struggle. It was a tough, low scoring game, exactly the kind that Adams hoped to create against Lake Orion. Adams played tremendous defense all night long, but 24 turnovers, 56% shooting from the free throw line, and an inability to score when a basket was needed were too much to overcome. Adams had a chance to tie with 9 seconds left, down by 3 and the ball in their hands, but they were unable to convert. It was a heart breaking loss after a night full of great effort. J.D. Osborne led the team in scoring with 15 points. Arias Shaffer and Jake Heinrich each had 5 rebounds, and John Zekaj contributed 5 assists.
Tuesday2/5/2008AVONDALEScore:49-48
The Highlanders were able to even up the series for the year against Avondale. It was a back and forth game, with Adams down by 7 at the end of the 1st quarter, but coming back to tie it at the half. In the third quarter, Adams scored only a woeful 2 points, but made up for it by scoring 24 in the 4th quarter. Down by 10 going into the 4th, Adams pulled to within 1 point with 54 seconds left. On their possession, the Highlanders ran the clock down to 24 seconds when Jake Heinrich hit a big 3 pointer to put Adams in the lead for the first time of the night. J.D. Osborne sank 2 free throws and John Zekaj hit 1 to seal the victory in the final seconds for a thrilling upset win. Osborne led the team with 24 points and went 10 for 10 from the free throw line. Zekaj chipped in 11 points and 4 assists, while Arias Shaffer led the team with 7 rebounds. Heinrich added 9 points and 5 rebounds.
Friday2/8/2008PONTIAC NORTHERNScore:67-71
This game started a bit late and ended much, much later. But what a game it was! And one more that had the Adams varsity on the brink of a major upset against Division 1 Pontiac Northern, only to walk away with the empty of feeling of playing strong but coming up short. In a thrilling game in which there were no losers, Adams came up with fewer points than their opponents, but just as much heart. It was a battle that amounted to a war of attrition, and after 3 overtimes, Adams simply ran out of gas. By the end of the 2nd overtime, it looked like two punch drunk sailors hoping for the knockout blow. By the end of the 3rd overtime, the Highlanders simply had little physically left to give. Northern used a 10-6 advantage in the 3rd OT to seal the victory. Adams was led by its three senior co-captains: J.D. Osborne and Jake Heinrich scored 17 points each, while John Zekaj added 16. Heinrich added 7 rebounds and Zekaj chipped in 5 assists.
Monday2/11/2008ATHENSScore:46-38
The Adams's varsity team came out on top in a game that they controlled from beginning to end against Troy Athens. Adams won each of the first 3 quarters, and there was never any real doubt about the outcome except for a brief scare in the 4th quarter. At that time Athens went on an 8-0 run to cut Adams lead to 4 with about 2 minutes left. However, Adams quickly re-exerted control and claimed the victory. J.D. Osborne was able to penetrate at will and ended up with 17 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Jake Heinrich and Arias Schaffer also had 6 rebounds each. Schaffer added 3 assists.
Thursday2/14/2008SOUTHFIELDScore:61-55
The Adams Boys Varsity beat Southfield last night in what amounts to the biggest win of the season so far. The OAA Division 2, 1st place Blue Jays came into the gym thinking that this would make for a nice win before facing off with Lake Orion next week. They were greatly surprised. It was a well played game for both teams with each matching the other basket for basket for much of the game. Southfield held a 1 point lead going into the final quarter, but Adams caught fire scoring 21 points in the final 8 minutes, led by the hot shooting J.D. Osborne who had 12 of them. Osborne again led the team in scoring with a season high 24 points and added 6 rebounds. Arias Schaffer followed with a season high 14 points and 8 rebounds in his best game yet. John Zekaj scored 13 points and added 5 assists. Point guard Joe Dillon did an excellent job all night long in controlling the tempo against the physical defense of the Blue Jays.
Tuesday2/19/2008ROCHESTERScore:57-38
After the first quarter it was Adams 21, Rochester 1. That 1st quarter gives a good indication of how the night went. Adams, which has now won 4 of their last 5 games, rolled over Rochester. These 2 teams will play again in the first game of the districts, and after a night like this, Rochester will be out to prove themselves. As it is, Adams is playing well exactly when it counts the most. John Zekaj led the team with 20 points in his best game of the year. J.D. Osborne scored 17 and added 2 assists. Michael Curry led the team in rebounding with 7.
Friday2/22/2008BIRMINGHAM GROVESScore:47-38
The final regular season game was played Friday night against Birmingham Groves. It was a game that both teams slogged through, with Adams picking up the win. Adams jumped out to an 8 point lead in the first quarter and played the rest of the game maintaining that spread throughout. Groves did cut the lead to only 6 with 3 minutes left, but Adams responded to leave with a victory. John Zekaj led the team with 13 points. J.D. Osborne had 10 and Brian Perry scored 9. Michael Curry pulled down 12 rebounds. Next up is the district playoffs beginning with Rochester on Monday, February 25 at 7:30 p.m. Good luck to the team, and especially the Highlander seniors who led a great season: Cameron Alvarez, player/manager Michael Cope, Jake Heinrich, Andrew Loscko, J.D. Osborne, Arias Schaffer and John Zekaj. Finally, thanks and good luck to senior team managers Sean Morrissey and Andrew Neville who dedicated endless hours behind the scenes all year long!