By Cort Reynolds
DOLA - Ada closed its county rivalry game at Hardin Northern on a 10-1 run to post a hard-fought 60-48 non-conference win in a rare Thursday night contest.
The purple and gold improved to 5-16 overall with their second straight win, while HN finished its regular season 7-15 after the makeup game defeat.
"It was a big win for us heading into a tough conference battle against a skilled Bluffton team," said Ada third-year head coach Dre White. "I was very proud of how we closed the game. That's been a nemesis for us this season.
"We did the things we needed to do down the stretch to put it out of reach. Everyone played a role, and it propelled us to a win."
Ada outscored HN 20-9 in the fourth period to pull off the win.
Bulldog junior Phillip Coulson scored 15 of his game-high 22 points in the second half to pace the team along with senior post Connor Frazier, who contributed 18 points, 16 rebounds and five blocked shots.
"Connor did a heck of a job locating open guys out of double teams he saw all night," said White. "I am proud of how he played."
Ada sophomore playmaker Brandon Hull tallied all eight of his points in the fourth period to also help the Bulldogs pull away late and post their first road win of the season.
Northern led 41-40 after a layup by Lance Good started the fourth quarter. Hull countered with a left-handed, and Ada never trailed again.
Frazier netted a putback and senior Ethan Hall sank a driving layin to put the visitors up by five. Hull then stole the ball and made a layup to cap a big 8-0 run that gave the visitors a 48-41 advantage with 6:07 remaining.
Polar Bear Hunter Jolliff bounced in a pull-up jumper to stop the splurge and keep HN within five. Coulson sank a transition layup, but Owen Wetherill canned a fast break drive. Two foul shots by Bear freshman Nevin Robson cut the lead to 50-47 with three minutes left.
But then Ada spurted away again to clinch the victory. Zac Swaney buried a 17-footer to start the closing run. Frazier blocked a shot which led to a Coulson fast break layin with two minutes left.
Hull stole the ball and netted a breakaway shot to extend the lead to nine at the 1:37 mark. A Ewing Martin free throw sliced the deficit to eight, but Swaney stole the ball and fed Coulson for another layin and a 10-point cushion with 1:05 to go.
Hull closed the scoring when he sank a driving runner in the final minute.
"Phil did what he has done all year and made some big shots in crunch time," said White.
Ada led 7-3 early as Coulson scored five quick points. HN edged within a point on an Owen Wetherill trifecta, and tied it on a Brady Cramer foul shot.
Hall scored inside off a nice Frazier feed, followed by a Swaney transition basket. Jolliff canned a driving banker yet Frazier hit from 15 feet out.
A Robson bank shot pulled Northern within 15-14 after the first quarter.
Martin's basket put HN on top 16-15 early in the second stnza. Frazier gave Ada the lead back 19-16 by hitting a leaning banker and a power drive.
Frazier's follow shot and a Coulson bank shot put the Bulldogs ahead 23-18. HN reeled off five consecutive points, three by Good, to tie it 23-all.
But another Frazier stickback gave the purple and gold a 25-23 intermission edge.
Consecutive Coulson baskets early in half two extended the lead to 29-25. Swaney stole the ball and fed Coulson for another basket and a six-point margin.
HN committed five straight turnovers in this costly stretch, and Ada capitalized on their miscues. Frazier scored inside and Swaney netted a layin to cap a 10-0 flurry that gave Ada a 35-25 lead.
But feisty Northern fought back. Jolliff made a drive, followed by a long deuce and a three-pointer from Wetherill.
Two Robson foul shots and another difficult Wetherill jumper finished an 11-2 Bear run that inched HN within 37-36. Coulson nailed a trey, but Wetherill answered by draining a long trifecta with 20 seconds left to make it 40-39 heading to the final period.
But the Bulldogs put together spurts of 8-0 and 10-1 in the decisive fourth quarter to win the close battle by a deceptive 12-point margin.
Ada splashed the nets on 26 of 54 of two-point field goal tries (48 percent), and they cannned two of 12 three-point attempts (17 percent). Overall, the hosts connected on 28 of 66 floor shots (42 percent).
The purple and gold converted two of three from the foul line (67 percent).
HN knocked down 18 of 50 shots from the field (36 percent), including two of eight behind the arc (25 percent). The Polar Bears canned 16 of 42 two-point tries (38 percent), and converted 10 of 17 shots from the charity stripe (59 percent).
Wetherill led Northern with 14 points, while Jolliff tallied a dozen and Robson added nine markers. Swaney scored eight for Ada.
HN committed 15 turnovers while the Bulldogs made just nine miscues. Ada was narrowly out-rebounded by HN, 37-34.
The victory marked the first time in three years that Ada has won consecutive games.
The Bulldogs also won the junior varsity game 50-34 to improve to 5-11.
Ada 60 (5-16)
Swaney 4 0-0 8, Frazier 8 2-2 18, Coulson 10 0-0 22, Mullins 0, Hall 2 0-0 4, Hull 4 0-0 8, Cook 0.
Totals: 28-66/2-3/60. 3-pointers (2-12): Coulson 2.
HN 48 (7-15)
Wetherill 6 0-0 14, Cramer 0 1-2 1, Jolliff 6 0-0 12, Robson 1 7-10 9, Martin 1 1-3 3, Good 4 1-2 9, Wilmoth 0.
Totals: 18-50/10-17/48. 3-pointers: Wetherill 2.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 15 10 15 20 60
HN 14 9 16 9 48
JV: Ada 50, HN 34.
Ada (2-5 NWC) hosts tough local foe Bluffton (14-7, 4-3 NWC) in the league, home and regular season finale Friday night. The Bulldogs are 4-7 at home this season, while Bluffton is 5-4 on the road.
The Pirates started off 8-0, including a 43-41 upset win over state-ranked and once-beaten Crestview, but have gone just 6-7 since.
"We know Bluffton is very good," said White. "They have a three-headed monster led by Denecker that we will have to be ready for. I am excited to see how we accept the challenge."
