By Cort Reynolds
WAYNESFIELD - Tournament host Waynesfield-Goshen used a second half rally to defeat Ada 62-56 in the semifinals of the first-ever Border Battle boys basketball event Friday night.
The Bulldogs fall to 2-6 and into the third-place game Saturday afternoon with the loss. Meanwhile, Waynesfield earned its first win to advance to the finals Saturday night with a 1-6 mark.
Ada led 35-33 at halftime, but managed only 21 second half points while the Tigers netted 29. W-G took a 49-45 lead on the strength of a 16-10 third quarter, and finished with a 13-11 fourth period.
Senior guard Ethan Swaney led Ada in scoring for the second straight game, this time with 17 points.
Senior Jackson Conrad came off the disabled list and led the purple and gold with nine rebounds in his season debut. Junior wing Phillip Coulson contributed 14 points and three steals.
Ada freshman guard Zac Swaney added seven points and three assists, while junior post Connor Frazier netted 10 points.
Senior Brock Waitman led the victors with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Seniors Tanner Hurley and Kale Kaufman each contributed 12 points for W-G.
Ada nailed just three triples in 14 tries (21 percent), but found the bottom of the net on 20 of its 39 two-point field goal attempts (51 percent). Overall from the floor, the purple and gold connected on 23 of 53 tries (43 percent).
The Bulldogs were successful on 50 percent of their attempts at the charity stripe (7-14). W-G converted only 15 of 26 from the foul line (58 percent), but scored eight more points than Ada at the stripe with a dozen more attempts.
The Tigers connected on a sizzling 16 of 28 shots inside the arc (57 percent), and drained five of 16 from three-point land (31 percent). Overall, the Tigers sank 21 of 44 shots from the field (48 percent).
W-G out-rebounded Ada, 33-27. The Bulldogs committed a dozen turnovers to 16 miscues by the Tigers.
Waynesfield meets USV (5-2) in the championship game Saturday evening at 8 p.m. The Rams knocked off rival Allen East in the first semifinal, 52-40.
Ada 56 (2-6)
E. Swaney 6-4-17, Mullins 1-0-3, Frazier 5-0-10, Conley 1-0-2, Zimmerly 0, Coulson 5-4-14, Conrad 0-1-1, Hull 1-0-2, Hall 0, Z. Swaney 3-0-7, Amburgey 0, Hollinger 0.
Totals: 23-53/7-14/56. 3-pointers (3-14): E. Swaney 1, Mullins 1, Z. Swaney 1.
Waynesfield 62 (1-6)
Elliott 3-1-10, Campbell 2-2-6, Rickle 1-0-2, K. Kauffman 4-3-12, Maxwell 2-0-5, Hurley 3-6-12, W man 6-3-15.
Totals: 21-44/15-26/62. 3-pointers (5-16): Elliott 3, Kauffman 1, Maxwell 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 18 17 10 11 56
W-G 17 16 16 13 62
Ada meets backyard rival Allen East (2-5) Saturday in the consolation contest at 2 p.m. The Bulldogs beat the Mustangs in Ada by a 40-32 count on Dec. 15.
