CRIDERSVILLE - Host Perry started fast and ran past former NWC foe Ada 68-39 in non-conference boys basketball action Saturday night at Cridersville.
The Bulldogs fell to 0-6 with the defeat, while the Commodores improved to 5-1 with the victory.
The Commodores raced to a 26-13 lead after the first quarter, and Ada inched to within 32-20 at intermission. But Perry pulled away for good on the strength of a 23-9 third quarter.
"We had a very slow start but I am very proud of how we responded and fought back early," said Bulldog third-year head coach Dre White.
Ohio Northern junior Austin Allemeier (Elida) scored a career-high 18 points to lead the Ohio Northern men's basketball team in an 80-74 loss to John Carroll on Saturday afternoon at the ONU Sports Center.
The Polar Bears fall to 3-6 overall and 0-4 in Ohio Athletic Conference play with the loss, while the Blue Streaks improve to 5-3, 2-2 with the win.
HARROD - Host Allen East closed a spirited game on an 11-2 run to rally past backyard rival Ada 45-40 in the Northwest Conference boys basketball season opener Friday night in Harrod.
The Bulldogs fell to 0-5 and 0-1 in the NWC with the hard-fought loss, while the Mustangs improved to 4-1 and 1-0 in the NWC after the victory before a loud, raucous crowd.
Ada led 15-6 after an impressive first quarter led by senior guard Cade Mullins, who scored nine points in the stanza. AE chipped away and methodically built a six-point lead, yet the Bulldogs battled back to tie it 31-31 heading to the climactic final quarter.
ADA - Visiting Allen East used a balanced offense and pressing defense to defeat backyard rival Ada 65-31 in the Northwest Conference girls basketball home opener for the Lady Bulldogs Thursday evening.
The Bulldogs fell to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the NWC with the loss, while the Lady Mustangs improved to 4-1 and 2-0 in league play after the win.
"I think we're getting better, we got good looks," said new Ada head coach Morgan Bass. "We got good effort from everyone. They pressured us, and I thought we handled it better than we have in the past.
"Lauren Criblez killed us on the boards and inside," she added.
