The Ada High School boys basketball team stayed within striking distance of favored rival Upper Scioto Valley over the first half of their semifinal game in the Border Battle tournament Wednesday night, December 29, at Harrod.

The Bulldogs trailed just 26-18 at intermission. But the Rams blew the game open with a 20-4 third period and outscored Ada 33-9 in the second half to win going away, 59-27.

Senior Connor Sanders led the Rams with 29 points, while Drew Stephens added 17 points.

USV's Maddox Underwood contributed eight rebounds, six assists and three steals.

Junior guard Spencer Wall was the lone Bulldog in double figures with 10 points. Senior Cayden Murphy added eight markers.

The Bulldogs dropped to 4-5 with the loss and will play Waynesfield-Goshen (1-6) in the third-place contest Thursday afternoon at Allen East.   

USV improved to 8-0 with the win and faces tournament host AE (4-3) in the finals Thursday night.

"We were not tough enough," said first-year Ada head coach Vince Halliday. "We were aggressive in the first half, and not rewarded for it.

"It felt like all the loose balls went their way," he added.

Ada connected on a dozen baskets, hitting 10 two-pointers and   two trifectas. The Bulldogs converted one of their four charity stripe tries (25 percent).

Ada made 10 of its 22 two-point shots, and canned two of 11 trey tries.

Upper drained 22 baskets, connecting on 16 two-pointers and six treys. They hit on nine of 11 free throw attempts (82 percent). USV sank 16 of 33 shots inside the arc and canned six of 15 beyond the arc.

Ada 27 (4-5)

C. Murphy 4 0-0 8, Conley 1 0-0 2, Sutherly 0, Leal 0, Wall 4 1- 2 10, Preston 1 0-0 2, E. Murphy 1 0-0 3, Cowan 1 0-0 2.

Totals: 10-2 / 1-4 / 27. 3-pointers (2-11): Wall 1, E. Murphy 1.

USV 59 (8-0)

Rohrs 3 0-0 6, A. Sanders 1 0-0 2, Fisher 0, Helton 0, Stephens 6 1-1 17, C. Sanders 10 8-10 29, Leonard 0, Underwood 2 0-0 5.

Totals: 16-6 / 9-11 / 57. 3-pointers (6-15): Stephens 4, C. Sanders 1, Underwood 1. 

1 2 3 4 F

Ada 8  10  4  5  27

USV 13  13  20  13  59

Waynesfield lost to the host Mustangs in the second semifinal, 57-43.