By Cort Reynolds
ADA - The Ada boys basketball team fell behind big early and lost 56-23 to visiting powerhouse Ottoville in the Bulldog home opener Saturday night.

The purple and gold dropped to 0-4 with the loss, while the Big Green improved to 3-0 with the lopsided victory.

Ottoville scored the first eight points of the game, with four each by big men Ryan Suever and Josh Thorbahn, and was never threatened.

"We knew they would press hard and be physical but it is hard to simulate that in practice," said Ada head coach Jon Cook. "Our kids competed with as much effort as they can give."

"The most disappointing thing is we made some turnovers when they didn't really ratchet the pressure up that much. 

"The only thing that surprised me was that they did not make any perimeter shots, and they are very capable of doing that. We were fortunate they didn't make three's."

The big Big Green scored off their press and inside almost at will against the Ada matchup zone.

"We were overmatched in size and skill, but we competed hard," said Cook. "They are very experienced; I can't remember the last time I saw a team with 10 seniors."     

The Green used a sticky fullcourt press to hound the Bulldogs and build a 16-1 cushion. Ada's first point came on a Cayden Murphy free throw.

Trent Ennis canned a fine baseline-driving reverse layup just before the first period buzzer to record Ada's first basket. Powerful southpaw Thorbahn scored 10 first quarter points to pace the visitors to a 16-3 bulge.

Ada senior Micah Cook sank a right wing triple to open the second stanza. The 6-7 Suever scored two straight baskets inside, followed by a Cook layup.

Ottoville then ran off nine unanswered points, spearheaded by two steals and five points from Kellen Schlagbaum.

After a timeout, Cook drained three foul shots in a row to cut the deficit to 29-11. Ottoville then scored the last six points of the half on a layup by Suever, a power layin by Thorbahn and and other short shot by Thorbahn.

Ethan Murphy converted two foul shots to start the second half for Ada. Consecutive Suever layups and four Langhals points ignited an 18-2 Green period.

Grant Kortokrax banked in consecutive short stickbacks to extend the lead to 53-13 in the final minute. Ottoville scored the last 16 points of the period and held Ada without a basket in the quarter.

Cayden Murphy powered in a layup to open the fourth quarter and end the 16-0 run.

Ottoville split three of six foul shots, with Kaiden Trentman making two. Bulldog junior Cayden Murphy went high to grab an offensive rebound and muscled it back in. Spencer Wall then canned one of two free throws. 

Ada sophomore Ethan Murphy swished a left wing triple to cut the lead to 56-21. Classmate Wall splashed two foul shots to cap a 8-0 Bulldog spurt to finish the game.

Thorbahn led all player with 18 points in a little over half of the game. Suever contributed 14 points.

Cook led Ada with eight points. The Murphy boys added five markers apiece.

"The areas we are going to struggle with most are rebounding and ballhandling, and those things are not magically fixable," said Cook. "We just have to keep working on those areas."    

The Bulldogs connected on six field goals, including two shots from three-point territory and four shots from two-point range. 

Ada canned nine of 11 attempts from the charity stripe (82     percent).

The Green sank 23 field goals, all inside the arc. They converted 10 of 15 free throws (67 percent).      

Ada lost the junior varsity contest 45-18 to fall to 2-1. Jaden Leal led the Bulldog reserves with six markers. Michael Turnwald canned 13 points for the victors.

Ada 23 (0-4)
C. Murphy 2 1-2 5, Cook 2 3-3 8, Wall 0 3-4 3, Ennis 1 0-0 2, T. Conley 0, E. Murphy 1 2-2 5, Poling 0, Dellifield 0, C. Conley 0, Thompson 0.
Totals: 4-2/9-11/23. 3-pointers: Cook 1, E. Murphy 1.

Ottoville 56 (3-0)
Miller 2 3-4 7, Langhals 1 0-0 2, Thorbahn 8 2-2 18, Suever 7 0-1 14, Kortokrax 2 0-0 4, T. Schlagbaum 1 2-2 4, K. Schlagbaum 2 1-2 5, Trentman 0 2-4 2. 
Totals: 23/10-15/56. 3-pointers:  none.    
 
    1    2    3    4    F
Ada    3    8    2    10    23
Ovl    16    19    18    3    56
JV: Ottoville 45, Ada 18. 

Next weekend Ada hosts local rival Bluffton (1-1) Friday in the NWC opener, and then visits state power Perry (3-0) Saturday.

"Bluffton will be physical and is capable of throwing a lot of exotic defensive looks at you," Cook warned. "We will have to execute. It is a league game and I hope that brings out the best in us. We have to clean up a lot of basic fundamental things."

The Pirates knocked off Libeerty-Benton 79-67 Saturday night as Carson Soper poured in 27 points.