The visiting Perry boys basketball team put together a half-ending 17-0 run and rolled to a 72-29 win over Ada in non-conference play Saturday night, December 11.

The Bulldogs dropped to 2-3 overall with the loss. Perry improved to 5-1 with the victory.

"We were certainly more competitive than last night vs. Grove, but we just made too many turnovers," said first-year Ada head coach Vince Halliday. 

"We have to be more under control," he added. 

Ada led 2-0 on a layup by senior Cayden Murphy. A layin by Jaden Leal from Murphy, and a Spencer Wall 15-footer kept the Bulldogs in front, 6-4. 

Another Murphy layup and a tough off-balance runner by Wall gave Ada its last lead at 10-7. Perry tied it on a corner triple by Joey Hoersten, and the visitors reeled off the last 11 points of the period to take an 18-10 lead.

Another Perry trey opened the second stanza. Murphy scored inside off a nice Leal assist, and Leal split two foul shots to edge within 21-13. 

Grant Preston canned a follow shot at the 4:23 mark to keep the deficit to 23-15. But then the bottom fell out. 

Behind its press and transition game, the quick-striking Commodores ended the half on a 17-0 flurry to balloon the lead to 25 at 40-15.

Ethan Murphy converted a backdoor baseline layup from a Leal dish. Cayden Murphy sank a layup to cut it to 48-19. Yet Perry ran off the next nine points.

Preston stopped the spurt with a follow-up layin with a minute to go in the third period.

Junior guard Jacob Sutherly connected on two foul shots to end the period with Ada behind 61-23.

Three more Commodore trifectas opened the fourth quarter, sandwiched around two Cayden Murphy free throws. Sutherly converted a driving layup and two foul shots to provide the final margin.  

Cayden Murphy led the Bulldogs with 10 points. Sutherly added six markers. 

Brayden Knight led four Perry players in double figures with 12 points. Terry Riley and Hoersten each scored 11 points, while Kameron Moore added 10.

Ada junior Carter Conley missed the game due to illness.

Ada canned 11 baskets, all two-pointers, with no triples. The Bulldogs converted seven of 11 free throw attempts (64 percent).

Perry drained 27 baskets, connecting on 14 two-pointers and 13 treys. They hit five of 10 free throw attempts (50 percent).

Perry also won the JV game, 54-29. Gage Hoffer led the purple and gold reserves with 13 points. Kaine Fisher and Brandon Lyle each added six markers.

Ada 29 (2-3)

C. Murphy 4 2-2 10, Sutherly 1 4-5 6, Leal 1 1-2 3, Wall 2 0-0 4, Preston 2 0-2 4, E. Murphy 1 0-0 2, Hoffer 0.

Totals: 11-0/7-11/29. 3-pointers: none.

Perry 72 (5-1)

B. Knight 5 0-0 12, Riley 5 0-0 11, W. Knight 1 0-0 2, Byrd 2 0-0 6, Simpson 2 2-4 6, R. Yingst 2 1-2 7, Hoersten 4 0-0 11, Moore 3 2-2 10, B. Yingst 3 0-2 7. 

Totals: 14-13/5-10/72. 3-pointers: Hoersten 3, Moore 2, B. Knight 2, R. Yingst 2, Byrd 2, Riley 1, B. Yingst 1.

1 2 3 4 F

Ada 10 5 8 6 29

Per 18 22 21 11 72

JV: Perry 54, Ada 29.

Ada (0-1 NWC) visits local league rival Bluffton (3-1, 1-0 NWC) Friday, December 17. The Bulldogs (1-0 road) then travel to non-league foe Cory-Rawson (1-6) Saturday, Dec. 18.