By Cort Reynolds
RAWSON - Visiting Ada got off to a good start and beat Cory-Rawson decisively 65-50 in a non-conference boys basketball game Saturday night.
Ada led 16-8 after one period and maintained that eight-point edge into halftime. The Bulldogs stretched their margin to 48-35 heading to the final stanza, which they won 17-15.
Bulldog junior guard Brandon Hull scored 20 points to lead the victors. Junior wing Micah Cook netted 13 markers, and senior post Jake Rayl tossed in a dozen points.
The Bulldogs improved to 3-5 overall with their second win in as many nights, while C-R fell to 2-4 with the defeat.
SB Nation celticsblog.com published Cort Reynolds' article on Olympic basketball and what American pro players would have played for Team USA had they been allowed to compete in the pre-1992 Dream Team era.
His column also recounts the 1972 debacle at the infamous Munich Olympics.
By Cort Reynolds
ADA - Host Ada finished on a 22-10 run to pull away from a close battle against backyard rival Allen East and win 55-42 in Northwest Conference boys basketball action Friday night.
Ada led the tight, hard-fought contest 33-32 late in the third quarter when AE missed a fast break layup. Bulldog junior Zac Swaney quickly buried a trifecta at the other end for a crucial five-point swing.
On the next Ada possession, Swaney drained another trey to build the lead to seven. Classmate playmaker Brandon Hull bounced in a floater just before the end of the third period to stretch the advantage to 41-32.
Junior Thomas Phillips (Kenton) gifted himself and the Ohio Northern men's basketball team an early Christmas present Saturday. Phillips nearly doubled his pervious career high, as the Polar Bears downed Manchester 73-66 inside the ONU Sports Center.
Phillips poured in 22 points, shattering his old career-high of 12 points. He was 8-for-12 from the floor, which included going 5-for-7 from 3-point land. Phillips also added nine rebounds and three assists.
By Cort Reynolds
VAN WERT - Ada competed at Van Wert in a boys and girls double dual swim meet with Elida Thursday evening.
The Lady Bulldog swimmers edged VW 48-44, while the Cougar girls defeated Elida 60-34.
The Bulldog boys lost to Van Wert 53-33, and VW also drowned Elida 49-35.
The previous Saturday, Ada swam well at the Marion Pleasant Invitational. The Lady Bulldogs finished fourth overall even without ill ace Klava Katayama, while the Bulldog boys came in fifth.
With three-tenths of a second left, Ada freshman guard Courtney Sumner hit a potential game-winning shot at the buzzer from about 22 feet. But the shot was disallowed for being released just after the horn
By Cort Reynolds
HARROD - Visiting Ada lost a 45-44 nailbiter to backyard rival Allen East in a Northwest Conference girls basketball battle Thursday evening.
The Bulldog girls fell to 2-6 overall and 0-3 in the NWC with the tough defeat. Meanwhile, the Lady Mustangs improved to 1-5 and 1-1 in league play following their first victory.
Ada led 12-10 after one period, but AE pulled ahead 24-19 at halftime. Senior Tori Newland netted eight points to lead a momentum-changing 14-7 second quarter for the Mustangs.
The Bulldogs outscored AE 13-9 in the third period to inch within 33-32 going into the final quarter.
