By Cort Reynolds
ADA - Host Ada doubled up Perry in the second half to record a 51-37 win in non-league girls basketball action Saturday afternoon.
The purple and gold improved to 1-3 with the hard-earned victory, while the Lady Commodores fell to 0-4 with the loss.
Determined Bulldog sophomore Miranda Wills netted a career-high 21 points despite playing with a mask to protect a broken nose suffered Tuesday.
"It feels really good," said new Ada head coach Morgan Bass when asked how it felt to get her first varsity coaching win. "It was a very good team effort.
"We got everyone looking at the basket with a scoring mindset. To get this win is a big confidence boost."
Ada pulled ahead 5-4 early in a see-saw first half after a three-point goal from sophomore Kylie Acheson. Perry guard Lily Floyd hit two foul shots, followed by an eight-footer from Wills.
Perry ran off four points in a row to grab a 10-7 lead. Quick Bulldog freshman guard Timber Blankenship stole the ball and drive in to tally a left-handed layup.
Wills made a nice catch in transition and sank a short left baseline shot to give Ada an 11-10 lead. Perry regained the lead on a Zierre Thompson layin.
Ada sophomore post Megan Light scored a basket and a free throw to force a 14-14 tie after one period.
The hustling Wills sank a 14-footer to open the second stanza. Freshman guard Kirsten Poling swished a high-arching 17-footer to make it 18-14.
Floyd drained a three-pointer, and she then hit a 17-footer to tie it 19-19. Wills canned a bank shot, but Perry inched ahead 22-21 at the half.
Wills split a pair at the foul line to open the second half and tie it. Sophomore southpaw Alexis Waugh then netted a layup on a good pass from Poling.
Tia Barfield split two foul shots. Wills canned an offensive rebound basket. Wills then drained a 10-foot turnaround shot to give Ada a 28-23 cushion with 4:08 left in the third quarter.
Wills then bounced in a driving basket to build the lead to seven. Floyd hit a free throw to stop the 6-0 run. Brenna George rimmed in a 12-foot lane shot, yet Barfield answered with a hoop inside to make it 32-26.
George converted a short putback to extend the lead to 34-26. Barfield split a pair of charity stripers. Poling then sank a stickback layin with 20 ticks to go to cap a 15-5 quarter.
Perry opened the final stanza with a basket, yet Blankenship answered with a timely mid-range, three-point play to provide a 39-29 bulge.
Light converted a transition layup off a press-breaker to build the lead to a dozen.
"Kirsten and Miranda did a good job handling their press, and the whole team ran the floor well to get some easy baskets," said Bass.
Light then put in another offensive rebound basket as Ada led by 14. Thompson sank a driving layup, but Wills drained a three-pointer to extend the margin to 46-31.
Poling swished a left wing trey at the 3:33 mark to give the Bulldogs their biggest lead of 18. Barfield stopped the decisive 13-2 flurry by hitting a short shot. Barfield then sank a stickback to cut the lead to 12.
Commodore Makiah Denson canned a lefty layup with 58 seconds left. Waugh sank a layin to provide the final margin of 14.
"We attacked better and were more aggressive in the second half," explained Bass of the 30-15 second half showing. "We hit some shots and rebounded better.
"Megan Light stepped up (seven points) and Timber played with great intensity," Bass added.
Ada sank 21 field goals and went six of 13 at the foul line (46 percent). Perry drained 14 field goals and converted eight of its 16 free throws (50 percent).
The scheduled two-quarter reserve game was cancelled by Perry Friday.
Ada 51 (1-3)
Wills 8 4-6 21, Poling 3 0-2 7, George 2 0-0 4, Light 3 1-2 7, Acheson 1 0-0 3, Waugh 2 0-0 4, Cortez 0, Blankenship 2 1-3 5.
Totals: 21/6-13/51. 3-pointers: Wills 1, Acheson 1 Poling 1.
Perry 37 (0-4)
Thompson 2 0-0 4, Miller 0, Floyd 3 5-8 12, Barfield 6 3-8 15, Denson 1 0-0 2, Oberlin 2 0-0 4.
Totals: 14/8-16/37. 3-pointer: Floyd 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 14 7 15 15 51
Per 14 8 5 10 37
No JV game.
Ada plays at Riverdale Tuesday, December 11. The Bulldogs then host local rival Allen East Thursday, Dec. 13 in the league opener.
