By Cort Reynolds
PAULDING - Visiting Ada played Paulding virtually even over the last three periods but lost 57-45 in a Northwest Conference girls basketball game Thursday evening.
Paulding raced to a 21-10 lead after the first quarter and maintained a similar margin throughout the rest of the contest. Ada was only outscored 36-35 over the final 24 minutes.
The Lady Bulldogs won the second stanza 10-9 to pull within 30-20 at intermission.
Paulding extended the margin to 42-29 after the third period. Ada won the final stanza 16-15, but could not get the deficit under double digits.
The Lady Bulldog record fell to 4-12 overall and 1-5 in the NWC with the defeat. Meanwhile, Paulding improved to 14-5 and 5-2 in the NWC after the victory.
"We lost but I'm not leaving with a bad taste in my mouth at all," said Bulldog third-year head coach Morgan Bass. "We made mistakes, but I felt like overall we made some very good decisions with the ball.
"We increased our intensity on defense as well," she added.
Bulldog sophomore point guard Courtney Sumner scored nine of her 13 points in the second half, which Ada lost only 27-25. Senior Miranda Wills also tallied 13 points for the Bulldogs.
Senior southpaw Alexis Waugh added five of her seven markers in the fourth period. Junior Kirsten Poling added six points.
Panther Jenna Pease scored 12 of her game-high 17 points in the second half. Teammates Leigha Egor and Jalynn Parrett added 10 points apiece.
It was the final conference meeting between the long-time foes because Paulding is leaving the NWC after the 2020-21 school year.
The Lady Bulldogs connected on 18 field goals overall. Ada sank 17 two-pointers, while Waugh drained the lone Bulldog trey.
The Bulldogs converted eight of 12 foul shots (67 percent).
The Panther girls canned 20 two-point goals and drained three three-pointers for 23 total baskets. The Panthers converted eight of 11 free throw attempts (73 percent).
Ada is now 2-6 on the road.
The Lady Bulldog JV rallied from a big early deficit but lost, 36-26. Mariah King topped the Ada reserves with a dozen points.
"They had a terrible start (down 17-3) but then got it together," said Bass of the Bulldog reserves. "They started to play more aggressive and not so passive."
Ada 45 (4-12, 1-5 NWC)
Sumner 5 3-4 13, Poling 3 0-2 6, Burkhart 1 0-0 2, Light 1 0-0 2, Waugh 3 0-0 7, Wills 4 5-6 13, Acheson 1 0-0 2.
Totals: 17-1/8-12/45. 3-pointers: Waugh 1.
Paulding 57 (14-5, 5-2 NWC)
Schweller 2 3-4 7, Parrett 4 1-2 10, Jenna Pease 8 0-0 17, Egnor 3 4-4 10, Manz 2 0-0 5, Estle 4 0-1 8.
Totals: 20-3/8-11/57. 3-pointers: Pease 1, Parrett 1, Manz 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 10 10 9 16 45
Pau 21 9 12 15 57
JV: Paulding 36, Ada 26.
The Bulldogs (2-6 home) host Lima Temple Christian (2-4) Tuesday, February 2 in a non-league game. LTC beat Jones Leadership Academy 52-26 on January 25.
Ada (1-5 NWC) resumes league play at Spencerville (11-6, 4-2 NWC) Thursday, Feb. 4. The Lady Bearcats defeated last-place NWC foe Allen East 55-30 Thursday night.
USV defeated LTC 50-28 back on Jan. 14 for the lone Ram win this season. Ada whipped the Ram girls 55-34 on Jan. 26.
