By Cort Reynolds
COLUMBUS GROVE - Host Columbus Grove broke away from a close game at halftime to beat feisty Ada 60-43 and clinch at least a tie for the Northwest Conference boys basketball crown Friday night.  

The purple and gold dropped to 3-16 overall and 2-5 in the NWC with the defeat. Meanwhile, Grove improved to 15-4 and 7-0    in league play with their seventh straight victory.

CG remains alone atop the NWC with a showdown game left at second-place Crestview (19-1, 6-1 NWC) next Friday to end the league season.  

Friday's game was tied 11-11 after one period of play, but Grove edged in front 30-24 at halftime. The hosts extended the lead to 45-32 with a big third quarter and went on to win by 17 after winning half two, 30-19.

"It was a six-point game at halftime and we competed for the entirety of the game," said Ada third-year head coach Dre White. "I was proud of how we bounced back after last weekend and competed against a first-place team.

"I would have liked to see where we would have been if we rebounded and made free throws, but that's what Saturday is for."

CG junior Alex Schneider led four players in double figures for the victors with 13 points. Sophomore Gabe Clement scored 12, while senior Grayson Flores tallied 11 points and sophomore Tayt Birnesser added 10.

Ada junior Phillip Coulson paced all players with 19 points. Senior post Connor Frazier added 12 points and six rebounds.

Ada hit the bottom of the net on 14 of its 28 two-point field goal tries (50 percent), and they drained three of 12 three-point attempts (25 percent). Overall, the hosts connected on 17 of 40 floor shots (43 percent).

The purple and gold converted just six of 15 from the foul line (40 percent).
CG knocked down 21 of 52 from the field (40 percent), including eight of 25 behind the arc (32 percent). Grove canned     13 of 27 two-point tries (48 percent), and converted 10 of 15 from the charity stripe (67 percent).

Grove committed nine turnovers while Ada was guilty of a dozen miscues. Ada was out-rebounded by CG, 30-21.
Grove also won the junior varsity game, 37-28.

Ada 43 (3-16, 2-5 NWC)
Swaney 0, Frazier 5-2-12, Coulson 7-3-19, Mullins 0, Hall 0, Hull 3-1-7, Cook 2-0-5.
Totals: 17-40/6-15/43. 3-pointers (3-12): Coulson 2, Cook 1.

Col. Grove 60 (15-4, 7-0 NWC)
Mason 0-1-1, Reynolds 3-1-7, Flores 4-1-11, Birnesser 4-0-10, Johnson 0-2-2, Clement 5-0-12, Hopkins 1-2-4, Schneider 4-3-13.
Totals: 21-52/10-15/60. 3-pointers (8-25): Birnesser 2, Clement 2, Schneider 2, Flores 2.

    1    2    3    4    F
Ada    11    13    8    11    43    
CG    11    19    15    15    60
JV: CG 37, Ada 28.     

Ada hosts Lima Temple Christian (7-12) in a non-league contest Saturday night, Feb. 16. "Temple obviously has the most dangerous scorer in the area averaging over 30 a game in Brody Bowman," said White.

"I am excited to come back home and look forward to the challenge he brings," he continued. "If we compete and execute like we did against Grove and clean up some small things, I believe we are in good shape.

"We are looking forward to the same team coming to play against Temple and cleaning up those simple things."