By Cort Reynolds
RIDGEWAY - The Ada boys basketball team tipped off the Dre White era successfully with a 51-45 victory at non-league county rival Ridgemont Friday night in the season opener.
The Bulldogs broke away from a 22-18 halftime lead with a 13-4 run to start the second half, then held off a late Golden Gopher rally to win the first game of new coach White's tenure.
Senior wing Jordan Bailey came off the bench to lead Ada with 13 points and nine rebounds. Senior post Owen Conley contributed 11 points and nine caroms. Senior guard Seth Evans added nine points.
Ridgemont rallied from a 35-22 deficit to within 43-42 in the final three minutes. But Ada tallied the next eight points to render a three-pointer in the final seconds by Trent Sparks relatively meaningless.
Ada overcame cold field goal shooting in part by out-rebounding the Gophers 45-33 and forcing 19 Gopher turnovers.
Ridgemont senior Sparks led all scorers with 20 points, but was the lone Gopher in double figures.
The victors shot 17 of 56 from the field (30 percent) and sank 13 of 21 from the foul line (62 percent). Ridgemont connected on 18 of 44 from the field (40 percent) and canned six of 12 at the charity stripe (50 percent).
Ada lost a tight JV contest in overtime, 56-50. Ridgemont tied it with no time left in regulation by sinking three clutch free throws, then went on to win in the extra session.
Ada 51 (1-0)
Conley 4 3-4 11, Swaney 2 0-0 5, Klingler 0, Hoschak 1 2-4 4, Evans 2 5-8 9, Bailey 5 1-1 13, Mullins 2 2-2 7, Frazier 1 0-0 2, Conrad 0.
Totals: 17-56/13-21/51. 3-pointers (4-24): Bailey 2, Mullins 1, Swaney 1.
Ridgemont 45 (0-1)
Jenkins 3, Smith 6, Stover 8, Sparks 20, James 4, McKinley 4, Salinas 0, Mouser 0.
Totals: 18-44/6-12/45. 3-pointers (3-15): Sparks 2, Stover 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 11 11 17 12 51
Rmnt 10 8 14 13 45
JV: Ridgemont 56, Ada 50 OT.
Ada hosts perennial non-league power Kalida in the Bulldog home opener Friday, December 9. The Bulldogs then entertain Ottoville Dec. 10.
