By Cort Reynolds

MT. BLANCHARD–The visiting Ada High School girls basketball team hung close for a half but eventually lost 44-30 at Riverdale in a Blanchard Valley Conference battle on Thursday, December 11.

The Falcon girls turned a one-point halftime lead into a 14-point victory by outscoring Ada 25-12 after intermission.

The Bulldog girls dropped to 4-3 overall and 1-2 in the BVC with the road defeat that snapped their three-game win streak.

Riverdale improved to 3-2 overall and 3-0 in BVC play after the win.

“I felt we executed our game plan for the most part, and played hard,” said Ada head coach Zach Ricker. “Even though it is not the outcome we wanted, there were a lot of positives we could take from tonight and build on.”

Eight Bulldogs scored, but no one tallied more than six markers. Senior Anna Conley and freshman Te’a Griffith each netted six points. Junior Kenley Poling scored five, and freshman Shay Smith added four points.

Ada trailed just 12-11 after the first quarter, and the Falcons maintained that one-point margin into halftime with a 19-18 edge. Junior ace Marissa Bonham scored 11 of the 19 Falcon points in the first half.

Riverdale took the second half by 13 points to win by 14. The Falcons took the third period 10-5 to increase their lead to 29-23 heading to the final quarter.

Bulldog Jaylin St. Laurent canned a three-pointer in the third period.

Riverdale won the fourth period 15-7 as Bonham scored six points and Lauren McBride added five markers.

The speedy Bonham led all players with 20 points. McBride added eight markers behind two triples.

Ada connected on eight two-point goals, sank two triples and converted eight of 13 free throws (62 percent). 

Riverdale sank 14 two-pointers, drained three trifectas and converted seven of 14 charity stripe attempts (50 percent).

Ada is now 2-2 on the road.  

The Bulldog girls visit non-league county rival Ridgemont (4-3) Saturday, Dec. 13. The Gophers hammered hapless Perry 55-1 Thursday, but lost to Cory-Rawson 34-29 Dec. 4.

Ada beat Cory 31-21 Dec. 8.

Ada 30 (4-3, 1-2 BVC)

Poling 1 2-4 5, St. Laurent 1 0-2 3, Gibson 0 1-2 1, Smith 2 0-0 4, Carter 1 1-1 3, Conley 3 0-0 6, Hevlin 0 2-2 2, Griffith 2 2-2 6. 

Totals: 8-2/8-13/30. 3-pointers: Poling 1, St. Laurent 1.

R’dale 44 (3-2, 3-0 BVC)

Mowery 1 0-0 2, McBride 3 0-0 8, Woodruff 2 0-0 4, Thacker 1 2-6 4, Bonham 8 3-6 20, Inbody 2 2-2 6.

Totals: 14-3/7-14/44. 3-pointers: McBride 2, Bonham 1.

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