By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
ORION TWP. — Adams High School’s varsity boys basketball team defeated Lake Orion, 48-46, in the Dragon’s home opener on Tuesday, Nov. 26.
The non-conference game was Lake Orion’s first game of the season. Lake Orion plays in the Oakland Activities Association White division, while Adams is in the Red.
Senior Zack Parks scored Lake Orion’s first two points, and led the Dragons in scoring in the first quarter with seven points to help earn a 17-12 lead after the game’s first eight minutes. Adams senior Luke Marcal’s five points was the most scored in the quarter by a Highlander.
The Dragons extended their lead to begin the second quarter with help from junior forward Ryan Rocheleau’s free throw – making the score 20-12 Lake Orion.
More free throws and field goals from Parks, junior guard Will Farmer, senior guard Nick Galben and junior guard Jackson Shoskey helped the Dragons score nine additional points in the quarter, while junior Colin Langdon and senior Trent LaGarde scored a combined eight points for the Highlanders. The Dragons led Adams 29-20 at halftime.
After halftime, Marcal cut into the Dragon’s lead with two three-point shots to lead all scorers in the third quarter, while sophomore Cannon Flynn helped the Highlander’s comeback effort by scoring three of his nine second-half points in the period. The Dragons held onto their lead with scoring from Parks, Rocheleau, junior guard Will Farmer and junior guard Nate Giacolone. The Dragons led by six points, 40-34, heading into the fourth quarter.
Adams continued its comeback, causing the Dragons to call a time out while ahead five points, 40-35, with just over six minutes to play. Farmer fouled Langdon who converted a three-point play after the Dragon’s time out. Landon’s free throw cut the Dragon lead to two points with just under five minutes left in the game.
Around two minutes later an Adams three-point shot tied the game at 43 points. Another foul by Lake Orion put Adams on the free throw line for Langdon to give Adams a two-point lead with 2:20 to play. Lake Orion called a full time out 24 seconds later.
After the time out, a Lake Orion steal led to two free throws and Parks tied the game again. Another field goal for Adams broke the tie with just under 22 seconds left in the game, leading to another Lake Orion time out.
A foul by Adams with 7.7 seconds left led to one made free-throw by Lake Orion and a one-point deficit. The Dragons needed to foul for a chance to win the game, and did so – sending Adams senior guard Gabriel Scott to the free throw line. Scott missed the first free throw and made the second to extend Adams’ lead to 48-46
Lake Orion inbounded the ball and had 4.2 seconds to take it the length of the court to score. Parks missed what would have been a game-winning three point shot at the buzzer.