Team advances to title game vs. AE

By Cort Reynolds

WAYNESFIELD–The visiting Ada High School boys basketball team scored in the final seconds to edge tournament host Waynesfield-Goshen 51-50 in the semifinals of the fifth Border Battle tournament Thursday night.

The Bulldogs rallied from an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter to lead 49-48.

Then Tiger junior guard Drew Breitigam scored on a drive in the final minute to give W-G the lead back, 50-49.

But Bulldog senior Carter Conley answered by making a layup for the last of his 26 points with 20 seconds remaining to pull out the victory.

Ada improved to 5-3 after their second straight win, while W-G fell to 1-6 with the defeat. The win avenged a last-second Bulldog loss to W-G in the 2021 Border Battle semis.

"We settled down in the fourth quarter and found a way to win," said second-year Ada head coach Vince Halliday. 

Ada senior Grant Preston canned a big triple to cut the Tiger lead to 48-47 late in the fourth period.

The Bulldogs got a stop and then scored to take the lead 49-48 with about 1:30 remaining to play.

Ada led most of the high-scoring 19-17 first period. The Tigers then took advantage of Bulldog turnovers to grab a 29-25 halftime edge.

W-G then extended their lead to 40-32 after the third period. Ada rallied to win the final period 19-10, and the game.

"We played real poorly in the second and third periods," said Halliday.

Conley led all scorers with a season-high 26 points. Ethan Murphy tallied 10 markers, and Preston added eight.  

Levi Glick topped W-G with 17 points with the aid of three triples. Jayden Elliott netted 12 points, and Roman James added nine. Breitigam tallied eight markers.

Ada canned 14 two-point goals and six treys, three by Conley. W-G also sank 14 deuces and hit five triples.

The Bulldogs converted five of eight shots from the free throw line (63 percent). W-G hit on seven of 13 charity stripers (54 percent).

Ada 51 (5-3)

Bankston 0 1-2 1, Wall 1 0-0 2, Sutherly 0 0-1 0, Conley 11 1-1 26, Leal 2 0-0 4, Murphy 3 2-2 10, Preston 3 1-2 8. 

Totals: 14-6/5-8/51. 3-pointers: Conley 3, Murphy 2, Preston 1.

W-G 50 (1-6)

Breitigam 2 0-0 5, Jordan 1 0-0 2, Glick 7 0-0 17, Barnes 1 3-4 5, Elliott 4 3-6 12, James 4 1-2 9. 

Totals: 14-5/7-13/50. 3-pointers: Glick 3, Elliott 1, Breitigam 1.

1 2 3 4 F

Ada 19 6 7 19 51

W-G 17 12 11 10 50

The Bulldogs play local rival Allen East (3-3) in the title game Friday, December 30 at about 7:45 p.m. Ada will be going for its first boys Border Battle tourney title. 

AE knocked off the defending tournament champion Rams 53-51 in overtime at the first semi final Thursday night.

W-G will play USV (5-3) in the third-place game Friday at 2 p.m.