By Cort Reynolds
ADA__The Ada High School girls basketball team went on an early 18-0 run and cruised to a 67-37 win over visiting Lima Central Catholic Tuesday evening, January 9.
The Bulldogs trailed 6-4 but then ran off 13 unanswered points to take control 17-6 after the first quarter, and they never looked back.
They led 36-18 at halftime and 52-25 after three periods.
The 30-point blowout was Ada’s widest margin of victory this season.
Bulldog junior guard Lexi Poling netted a season-high 19 points to pace the well-balanced victors. Senior Mariah King also tallied a season-best 16 markers.
The Bulldogs improved to 5-8 with the convincing victory, while the Thunderbirds fell to 2-10 with the defeat.
“I felt we came out and played hard from start to finish,” said Ada head coach Zach Ricker. “Our goal was to push the ball and pick up the pace, which we did.
“We seem to play better when we go faster,” he added. “We had a balanced effort and everyone got to play.”
LCC junior guard Aubrey Frankhouser scored the first six Thunderbird points to give them an early lead. Ada forged in front for good 7-6 on a right side Lexi Poling triple that ignited the decisive run.
Senior Autumn Andreasen then hit a layup, and Poling sank a transition basket off a good Anna Conley outlet assist.
Bulldog senior guard Olivia Burkhart bounced in a right baseline 15-footer. Andreasen scored again inside off a Burkhart dish to make it 15-6.
Burkhart then made a nice hesitation drive down the left side of the lane at the seven-second mark to put the hosts ahead 17-6 after the opening stanza.
Ada continued its flurry to start the second period. Kenley Pling split two foul shots, and King sank a driving layup. Burkhart drained a lane pull-up shot to cap the 18-point run with 6:37 left in the half.
When the smoke cleared after netting eight unanswered baskets and a foul shot, the Bulldog girls held a commanding 22-6 advantage.
After LCC stopped the run with a bucket and foul shot, Ada reeled off eight more quick points. Conley scored inside, followed by a King power layup at the 3:51 mark.
Andreasen put in a follow shot, and Lexi Poling canned two free throws to stretch the margin to 32-9.
Frankhouser then drained a triple from the top of the key to spark a 7-0 LCC spurt. She stole the ball and made a layup, then Emily Morrissey hit a field goal to cut the deficit to 32-16.
But Andreasen tallied another offensive rebound putback shot to stop the run. Lexi Poling connected on a driving bank shot eight seconds before halftime to put Ada ahead by 18 at the break.
Hard-driving King came out strong in the second half and scored eight points in the third quarter. Her driving banker on the first play of the period kept the Bulldog momentum going.
Senior Katie Sizemore splashed a nine-foot left baseline shot, and King split four foul shots. T-Bird sophomore Alon’nah Bagley sank three straight baskets, sandwiched around a Poling trey from out top.
King then nailed a nice one-footed runner off glass. Poling scored again on a fast break bank shot. King’s follow-up bucket ballooned the Ada cushion to 27 points 13.5 seconds before the period ended.
Junior guard Poling swished a left corner trifecta early in the fourth quarter to spark a 9-2 run. Conley knocked down a bank shot, and freshman Brooklyn Andreasen came in to tally two inside baskets and provide a 61-28 bulge.
King hit a runner and Autumn Andreasen sank an eight-footer to build the lead to 30. Ashley Hevlin canned a 13-foot shot to close the Ada scoring.
Hard-charging southpaw King netted 10 of her 16 points after intermission. Poling scored 11 markers in the first half, and added eight in the second.
Senior Autumn Andreasen scored 10 points to give Ada a big lift off the bench.
“Autumn has played well coming off the bench, she always brings high energy whether she starts or not,” Ricker noted.
Burkhart contributed eight of her nine points in the first half. In all, nine Bulldogs scored and 12 saw action.
Frankhouser led LCC with 16 points, while Bagley added nine.
The Ada girls connected on 25 two-point goals and nailed three three-pointers. The Bulldogs converted eight of 17 free throws (47 percent).
LCC canned 13 two-point field goals and splashed just one shot from beyond the arc. The T-Birds converted only eight of 22 charity stripe tries (36 percent).
Ada also won the two-quarter reserve game handily, 28-10. Sophomore Ashley Hevlin scored 10 points, and Brooklyn Andreasen added eight.
The Bulldog girls resume league play Thursday, Jan. 11 at tenacious backyard rival Allen East (8-2, 0-2 NWC).
AE lost 57-41 at NWC co-leader Delphos Jefferson (10-1, 3-0 NWC) last Thursday, so both their losses have been in conference play. Crestview (11-1) is also 3-0 in NWC action.
The Mustang girls are led by the duo of all-league senior wing Savana Brooks and high-scoring junior guard Rilynn Jones.
“We have to be able to handle their press, that will be the big thing,” warned Ricker.
Ada 67 (5-8)
Burkhart 4 1-2 9, King 6 4-7 16, L. Poling 7 2-2 19, K. Poling 0 1-2 1, A. Andreasen 5 0-2 10, Sizemore 1 0-0 2, Conley 2 0-0 4, B. Andreasen 2 0-0 4, Hevlin 1 0-0 2, Johnston 0 0-2 0, St. Laurent 0-0-0 0, Price 0 0-0 0.
Totals: 25-3/8-17/67. 3-pointers: L. Poling 3.
LCC 37 (2-10)
Frankhouser 6 3-8 16, VanMeter 0 1-4 1, Morrissey 2 0-0 4, Reif 2 0-0 4, Bagley 4 1=2 9, Kill 0 2-4 2, Marks 0 1-2 1, Pignataro 0 0-0 0.
Totals: 13-1/8-22/37. 3-pointers: Frankhouser 1.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| ADA | 17 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 67 |
| LCC | 6 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 37 |
2-quarter JV: Ada 28, LCC 10.
