By Cort Reynolds
ADA - In the annual renewal of their local rivalry battle, visiting USV rode a 26-10 second period to a 63-48 victory over the Ada boys basketball team before a big Saturday night crowd.
The Bulldogs fell to 2-9 overall with the non-conference loss, while the Rams improved to 9-3 with the win.
"We got off to a good start, but the second quarter was the story of the game," said Ada first-year head coach Dre White. "We had three good quarters, yet we had way too many turnovers (19). We have to clean up the offensive boards and the turnovers."
Ada actually outscored USV 38-37 over the three periods other than the fatal second stanza, but the board-banging Rams dominated that quarter so completely they were able to virtually cruise to the win.
"Sometimes you lose your intensity and focus when you get up 20," explained Ram head coach Jeff Kloepfer of the second half letdown that helped Ada rally within nine. "We let them get open a couple times for some three's."
The Bulldogs trailed 55-33 late in the third period before rallying to make it a bit uncomfortable for the Rams. Ada reeled off 12 unanswered points to creep within 55-45 with 4:44 remaining.
Junior post Jakob Hoschak started the run with a layup, and Jordan Bailey canned a short banker to end the third period with the Bulldogs down 55-39.
Connor Frazier continued the spurt early in the fourth with a lane banker, followed by a left wing triple from Owen Conley. Ethan Swaney canned a trifecta from the top of the key to capthe splurge and inch the hosts within 10.
Ram senior Chase Rose tallied a flying layin off an alley-oop in-bounds pass to stem the tide. Yet Conley swished a right wing three-pointer to advance Ada within 57-48 at the 3:11 juncture.
But then sophomore USV guard Brady Hipsher splashed a key triple to rebuild the margin to 12 at the three-minute mark. Hipsher added a foul shot and Wyatt Daniels canned a pair at the charity stripe to close the low-scoring fourth period. Ada went without a point over the final 3:11.
"Give USV credit, they made shots," said White. "The second half was better for us (27-25 in favor of Ada), and our zone slowed them down a little bit."
Ada got off to a good start as aggressive junior Swaney canned the first two baskets for a 4-0 Bulldog lead. Wayne Lowery got USV on the board with a left wing triple, but Jackson Conrad sank a short banker off a Conley feed. The Rams tied it 6-6 on a post-up finish inside from the athletic Rose.
The Bulldogs regained the lead on a three-point scoop shot inside by Jordan Bailey. Swaney's halfcourt steal and layup gave Ada its last lead at 11-7 with 1:59 to go in the first period.
"Having a good start was a point of emphasis for us before the game," White explained after Ada had fallen behind 14-2 the night before vs. Spencerville.
Rose converted a three-point play inside and powerful lefty post Trevor Dotson followed in his own miss with a layup that put USV ahead 12-11 at the close of the hard-fought opening stanza.
Dotson opened the decisive second period with a three-point stickback play inside. He then netted yet another offensive rebound basket down low. Ram sophomore Dylan Thompson came off the bench to nail a left corner trey.
Swaney stopped the 13-0 Ram run with a right corner trifecta at the 5:44 mark. Conrad canned a short right baseline shot to inch within 21-16.
But then USV went on a 14-2 flurry that all but decided the outcome. Lowery and Daniels each hit from beyond the arc, Hipsher converted a transition layin and Lowery added two foul shots. When the dust cleared, the Rams held a 35-18 margin.
Conley stopped the spurt by nailing a long triple. But Dotson finished the half with another putback hoop inside to provide a 38-21 cushion at intermission.
"We wanted to push the ball and get easy shots, and we did that in the second quarter," said Kloepfer of the big 26-10 period.
"We gave up 10 offensive rebounds in the first half," noted White. "That has been the story all year."
The third quarter started out as more of the same as Dotson powered inside for two early layups, sandwiched around a Seth Evans triple.
Swaney converted a driving three-point play to help Ada within 44-28. Thompson responded by splashing a corner trey.
"Our guys off the bench played well, specifically Dylan and Quinn Sanders," Kloepfer pointed out.
Swaney answered with a nice left-handed layup putback. Two more offensive rebound baskets from close range by Dotson extended the Ram lead to 51-30.
Bailey drained a three from the top of the key. Yet Hipsher stole the ball and scooted in for a layup, followed by another Dotson bunny basket for a 55-35 bulge.
Ada then went on its last-ditch 13-2 run to pull within nine, but that was as close as they would get.
"It was similar to the Spencerville game last night where we fought back from a big deficit to nine," noted White.
Dotson led all players with 20 points and 11 rebounds. "Trevor played a really good game," said Kloepfer. "He had a big night, and he needed that for his confidence."
Hipsher and Rose each added 10 points, while Lowery contributed eight. "We had pretty good offensive balance," added the Ram mentor.
The energetic Swaney topped Ada with a career-best 18 points. "Swaney played well, he made some shots," said White. Conley tallied 11 points and Bailey added eight.
USV sank 22 field goals to 19 Ada baskets. However, the Rams outscored the Bulldogs 13 to three at the charity stripe as Ada attempted just four free throws. The Bulldogs knocked down seven shots beyond the arc, compared to six treys by USV.
The Ada reserves won the JV contest, 40-36. Miguel Jordan led a balanced purple and gold attack with eight points. Quinn Sanders paced USV with 14 markers.
Ada 48 (2-9)
Mullins 0, Swaney 7 2-3 18, Evans 1 0-0 3, Conrad 2 0-0 4, Bailey 3 1-1 8, Conley 4 0-0 11, Hoschak 1 0-0 2, Frazier 1 0-0 2. Totals: 19/3-4/48. 3-pointers: Bailey 2, Conley 2, Evans 2, Swaney 1.
USV 63 (9-3)
Lowery 2 2-2 8, Rose 4 2-3 10, Daniels 1 4-5 7, Hipsher 3 3-6 10, Thompson 2 0-0 6, Sanders 1 0-0 2, Dotson 9 2-5 20.
Totals: 22/13-21/63. 3-pointers: Lowery 2, Thompson 2, Daniels 1, Hipsher 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 11 10 16 11 48
USV 12 26 17 8 63
JV: Ada 40, USV 36.
Ada (1-5 home) hosts non-league foe Waynesfield on the back end of a girls/boys, varsity-only doubleheader Tuesday, Jan. 17. The Tigers (1-10) lone win came at Ridgemont 68-63, a team Ada also beat on the road by six in its opener.
USV hosts struggling county rival Hardin Northern (2-9) next Friday in an NWCC battle.
