By Cort Reynolds
OTTOVILLE - Unbeaten host Ottoville pulled away from a close game near halftime to post an 83-51 non-league win over the Ada boys basketball team Saturday night.
The Bulldogs fell to 1-2 with their second road defeat in as many nights, while hot-shooting Ottoville improved to 4-0 with the win.
Ada trailed 18-13 after one period and was only down four late in the first half before the Big Green spurted to a 36-26 halftime lead.
Ottoville then poured in 28 third quarter points to extend the margin to 64-40 and put the game out of reach.
Sophomore wing Phillip Coulson led Ada with 12 points. Senior guard Ethan Swaney contributed 11 points and junior post Connor Frazier added 10 markers plus three assists.
"Tonight was much better (than at Kalida)," said Ada second-year head coach Dre White. "We didn't handle increased amounts of pressure in the second half well. Ottoville is a heck of a club with a loaded roster.
"I am proud of how we responded after Kalida (a 46-point loss)," he continued. "We got better tonight. I saw a lot of positives and of course, some things we can take away and learn from."
Both squads shot over 50 percent from three-point land.
Ottoville canned a sizzling 10 treys in 18 tries (56 percent) and connected on 18 of 32 (56 percent) inside the arc. Overall, they shot 56 percent from the floor (28-50).
Ada sank eight triples in 14 tries (57 percent), but shot just 10-30 on two-point field goals (33 percent). Overall from the field, the purple and gold connected on 18 of 44 tries (41 percent).
The Bulldogs were successful on 58 percent attempts at the charity stripe (7-12). Ottoville converted 17 of 29 from the foul line (58 percent).
The Big Green out-rebounded Ada, 34-22. Coulson also topped the Bulldogs on the boards with six rebounds. Ada committed 16 turnovers to 14 by the hosts.
Ottoville has won its four contests, all at home, by an average of 27 points a game.
The Bulldog junior varsity lost 50-47 to also fall to 1-2.
Ada 51 (1-2)
E. Swaney 3-2-11, Mullins 1-3-5, Frazier 5-0-10, Conley 0, Zimmerly 0, Coulson 4-1-12, Hall 1-0-2, Z. Swaney 3-1-9, Amburgey 1-0-2.
Totals: 18-44/7-12/51. 3-pointers (8-14): E. Swaney 3, Coulson 3, Z. Swaney 2.
Ottoville 83 (4-0)
Benelele 6-1-19, Kemper 3-0-6, Siever 4-7-15, Fischer 2-5-9, Moorman 4-2-11, Martin 3-2-8, Thorbahn 6-0-15.
Totals: 28-50/17-29/83. 3-pointers: Benelele 6, Thorbahn 3, Moorman 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 13 13 14 11 51
Ovl 18 18 28 19 83
JV: Ottoville 50, Ada 47.
Ada (1-0 home) hosts backyard rival Allen East (1-1) Friday in the Northwest Conference opener. AE beat the Bulldogs 72-65 last winter in Harrod behind a 43-point explosion by the now-graduated Spencer Miller.
The Bulldogs then entertain Perry (1-3) Saturday evening.
