By Cort Reynolds

VAN BUREN__The visiting Ada High School boys basketball team lost 47-41 to Blanchard Valley Conference leader Van Buren on Friday, January 16.

The Black Knights captured their 10^th game in a row by taking three of the four close quarters. 

VB led 8-4 after the first period, and held a 23-20 advantage at halftime. The Knights won the third quarter 14-13 to take a four-point edge into the final stanza.

A 10-8 VB fourth quarter provided the final margin of six points.

Junior Carson Conley led Ada with 16 points, while senior Zack Zimmerman tallied 15. Each hit one three-point goal.

Alex Homan and Anikan Ortega shared scoring honors for the Knights with 11 points apiece. Will Rampe tallied eight markers, and Finn Martin added six. 

Ada dropped to 9-5 overall and 3-3 in the BVC with the road defeat, their third straight league loss.  

Sole Blanchard Valley Conference leader VB improved to 10-1 overall and 6-0 in BVC play after the home win.

The Bulldogs connected on 13 two-point goals and buried two triples. Ada converted nine free throws.

VB canned 12 deuces and knocked down four treys. The Knights sank 11  foul shots. 

Ada fell to 2-4 on the road with the defeat. 

The Bulldogs (7-1 home) host county rival Hardin Northern (5-8) in a non-league contest on Jan. 17. HN lost at Waynesfield on Friday, 51-40.

Ada is slated to play BVC foe McComb (4-9, 0-5 BVC) on Friday, January 23 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland.

Ada 25 (9-5, 3-3 BVC)

Conley 7-1–16, Zimmerman 5-4–15, Oldfield 1-2–4, Allen 1-1–3, Baumgartner 1-0–2, Zoladz 0-1–1. TOTALS: 13-2/9/41.

3-pointers: Conley 1, Zimmerman 1.

VB 47 (10-1, 6-0 BVC)

Homan 4-2–11, Ortega 3-4–11, Rampe 3-2–8, Martin 3-0–6, Bishop 1-2–5, Lance 1-1–4, Miller 1-0–2. TOTALS: 12-4/11/47.

3-pointers: Homan, Ortega, Bishop, Lance 1 apiece.