HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Adams, Grossmont Clout Crawford

Take the act on the road and it is, as they say, a whole different ball game.

The Grossmont Conference has grown accustomed to seeing the scoring wonder, 5-foot-7 Christina Adams of Grossmont High, performing her act twice weekly somewhere east of Interstate 805.

But for city folks who may have heard that the junior guard is the leading scorer in girls’ basketball in the state, and fourth in the country, the chances to see Adams perform were rare.

Tuesday night at Crawford, in the opening round of the Division II playoffs, star and cast didn’t disappoint.

Adams scored 35 points.

Ninth-ranked Grossmont defeated sixth-ranked Crawford, 51-37.

And Adams first quarter shooting display, when she was perfect (six-of-six from the field and three-of-three from the foul line), was a work of art.

Crawford Coach Bill Laine just shook his head: “I have never, in my life seen anyone who shoots like her,” he said. “Heck, she scored 90% of their points.”

And there would have been more had Crawford not shut her down in the second and third quarters--she scored six points in the second quarter and was shutout of the third.

“They double teammed me and brought me way out (of the key),” Adams said of her one-for-five field goal effort in the second and third quarters. “They started covering me a lot better.”

Crawford (15-8) closed to within five points of the Foothillers (13-6) three times, but its poor shooting made victory impossible.

Although Grossmont was out-rebounded, 45-33 for the game, its fourth quarter rebounding helped it retain its lead.

“We rebounded well,” said Grossmont Coach Frank Foggiano.

Adams said Grossmont has been trying to improve its rebounding. The extra effort first paid off last week when the Foothillers upset league foes and ranked Santana and El Cajon Valley.

“Coach said we had to start rebounding,” Adams.

There’s no time like the present.

Crawford’s Stephanie Levingston scored 14 points, pulled down eight rebounds and had two blocked shots.

Chris Roberts scored seven for Grossmont, and had 14 rebounds, eight in the final quarter.

Grossmont will play at second-seeded San Pasqual Thursday.