By Cort Reynolds
ADA__The host Ada High School boys basketball team outscored Arcadia 20-5 in the fourth quarter to pull away and post an impressive 60-40 non-league win Tuesday night, January 2.
A season-best four players scored in double figures for the balanced Bulldogs.
Ada out-pointed Arcadia 33-17 after intermission to break open a close game. They scored the first 11 points of the fourth period to seize control.
The Bulldogs improved to 2-7 with the decisive victory. The Redskins dropped to 3-7 after the defeat.
The Bulldogs tied it 13-13 after the first period, then pulled ahead 27-23 at the half. Ada led 40-35 heading to the final stanza before putting on the clinching spurt.
“Everyone gave us good minutes, it was really a team effort,” said pleased Ada third-year head coach Vince Halliday. “Arcadia ran out of gas in the fourth quarter, and we tried to wear them down knowing they lacked depth.
“We tried to keep our guys fresher and we played some longer-armed guys off the bench too,” he continued. “We played loose and free. We made some shots.”
Arcadia jumped ahead 5-0, but Ada sophomore Zach Zimmerman drained a right wing triple to get the hosts on the board. Consecutive bunnies by Redskin junior Owen Rader put the visitors on top, 9-5.
Sophomore post Slade Gossman scored on a putback and junior guard Levi Green split two foul shots. A southpaw layin by senior Carson Gossard kept Ada within 13-10.
Sophomore Kayleb Hickman then splashed a triple with 33 seconds left in the opening period to tie it 13-13.
Zimmerman tied it on a driving banker early in the second stanza, and Ada took its first lead at 16-15 on a Kolton Dysert free throw with 4:32 left in the half.
Green stole the ball and made a breakaway layin midway through the quarter to put Ada up by three. His sticky defense energized the Bulldogs.
“Levi gave us good defense and provided great energy,” said Halliday. “He is very bouncy. Arcadia had a couple good players. Levi and Kayleb are our best on-ball defenders and they did a good job on them.”
Arcadia spurted ahead 19-18 on two layups, but a Zimmerman follow shot gave the Bulldogs the lead back for good at the 2:28 mark. Gavin Oldfield nailed a 15-foot pull-up shot with 1:11 left to increase the lead to 22-19.
A stickback layin from Redskin reserve Owen Green cut the Ada margin to a point. T.J. Griffith came off the Bulldog bench to stroke two foul shots for his first varsity points.
Rader canned a power layup with 11 ticks left. But Ada regained the momentum heading to intermission when Zimmerman drilled a right wing trey with a second left in the half to provide a 27-23 lead.
A 9-3 start to the second half gave Ada some breathing room. Gossman sank a layup, followed by a right wing triple from Dysert. Hickman drained a one-hander, and Zimmerman made a lane floater to put Ada in front 36-26 with 4:40 left in the third quarter.
The Redskins responded with a 7-0 flurry, capped by Rader’s left wing trifecta. Dysert fought his way inside to grab an offensive rebound, and he then canned a short fadeaway at the 1:40 juncture.
Gossard fed Gossman nicely for a layup that gave the Bulldogs a 40-35 lead heading to the final period.
Ada then reeled off the first 11 points of the fourth quarter to put the tiring Redskins away. Dysert canned a driving floater on the first possession. Zimmerman sank a driving bank shot, followed by a Dysert left wing trey.
Hickman nailed a 15-footer for a 49-35 lead. At the 5:41 mark, Hickman sank a left elbow jumper to cap the spurt with Ada holding a 16-point cushion.
Stoner drained a long triple 15 seconds later to end the run. Gossman posted up and scored inside. After a driving Redskin layin, Ada hit three of four foul shots.
Hickman sank a transition layup off a long pass from Zimmerman, and freshman Griffith canned a reverse layup to close the game on a 7-0 spurt.
Zimmerman led Ada with 14 points and five rebounds. Spunky freshman point guard Dysert tallied 13 markers. Hickman tossed in 11 points, and Gossman added 10.
Green scored four points and played tough defense in his first start. Griffith added four markers.
“T.J. got his first varsity basket,” Halliday noted. “We made too many turnovers early (eight in the first period). But I am excited by our play.”
The Bulldogs overcame 19 turnovers with good shooting and tough defense.
Stoner and Rader each netted 13 points to pace Arcadia, but no other Redskin scored more than four.
The Bulldogs connected on 19 two-point goals and drained five triples.
Ada converted seven of 13 shots at the charity stripe (54 percent).
Arcadia canned 13 two-pointers and drilled four treys. The Redskins converted two of four from the free throw line (50 percent).
Ada won the JV game 48-27 to improve to 7-2. Griffith scored 16 points and Connor McKean netted nine.
Ada 60 (2-7)
Oldfield 1 0-0 2, Zimmerman 6 0-0 14, Hickman 5 0-0 11, Conley DNP, Dysert 4 3-4 13, Green 1 2-4 4, Blankenship 0 0-0 0, Gossard 1 0-0 2, House DNP, Lawrence 0 0-2 0, Gossman 5 0-0 10, Griffith 1 2-2 4.
Totals: 19-5/7-13/60. 3-pointers: Zimmerman 2, Dysert 2, Hickman 1.
Arcadia 40 (3-7)
Stoner 4 2-2 13, Harris 2 0-0 4, Rader 6 0-2 13, Ellis 2 0-0 4, Tucker 1 0-0 2, Green 2 0-0 4.
Totals: 13-4/2-4/40. 3-pointers: Stoner 3, Rader 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 13 14 13 20 60
Arc 13 10 12 5 40
JV: Ada 48, Arcadia 27.
Ada (0-1 NWC) plays at local league rival Bluffton (6-1, 1-0 NWC) Friday night. The Pirates won their own holiday tournament last weekend, beating Arlington 57-55 in the finals.
“I know they are good,” said Halliday of the Pirates. “We still have to get better.”
Ada freshman guard Carson Conley is expected back after sitting out vs. Arcadia after suffering a head injury at Waynesfield December 28.
