Visiting in Spencerville, the Ada High School boys basketball team led early and was within striking distance of Spencerville at the half, but then went ice cold and lost 71-43 in a Northwest Conference bout Friday night, February 11.

Upset-minded Ada led 18-12 after the first quarter, but a 21-11 second stanza gave the Bearcats a 33-29 halftime edge.

The Bearcats broke the game open with a 38-14 second half. 

The hosts won the third period 20-1 to take control, then closed with an 18-13 final stanza.

Ada went almost 10 minutes to start the second half without making a basket. Spencerville outscored the Bulldogs 41-12 over the middle quarters.

The Bulldogs dropped to 4-16 overall and 0-7 in the NWC after suffering the loss. Meanwhile, Spencerville improved to 17-3 and 5-2 in the NWC with the win.

Junior Spencer Wall led Ada with 13 points. Classmate Ethan Murphy tallied eight points, while Gage Hoffer and Grant Preston each scored seven. Jaden Leal added six markers.

Ada head coach Vince Halliday was at his son's hockey Senior Night ceremony in Findlay, so assistant Josh Lehsten coached the Bulldogs. "We played really well in the first half, we made shots," said Halliday. "Obviously, it got out of control in the third with that 20-1 quarter."

Dylan Smith led the Bearcats with 16 points. Carder Orr and Evan Osting each added 11 markers.

Ada found the range on 15 field shots, netting nine two-pointers and six trifectas. The Bulldogs converted seven of 12 charity stripe attempts (58 percent).

Spencerville canned 27 field goals, connecting on 21 two-pointers and six triples. The Bearcats converted 11 of 18 free throw attempts (61 percent). 

Ada 43 (4-16, 0-7 NWC)

C. Murphy 0, Conley 0, Wall 5 0-0 13, Leal 2 2-4 6, Preston 3 0-0 7, Sutherly 1 0-0 2, E. Murphy 2 2-5 8, Hoffer 2 3-3 7, Jones 0.

Totals: 9-6/7-12/43. 3-pointers: Wall 3, E. Murphy 2, Preston 1.

Spencerville 71 (17-3, 5-2 NWC)

Henline 0 2-2 2, Osting 4 0-0 11, Smith 5 5-9 16, Elling 1 0-0 2, Coulter 1 2-2 4, Sudhoff 3 0-0 6, Koenig 2 0-0 4, Harter 3 1-4 7, Sommers 5 0-0 11, Cook 2 0-0 5, Orr 1 1-1 3. 

Totals: 21-6/11-18/71. 3-pointers: Osting 3, Smith 1, Cook 1, Sommers 1.

1 2 3 4 F

Ada 18 11 1 13 43

Svl 12 21 20 18 71

Ada travels to Lima to take on Temple Christian (3-15) Saturday, Feb. 12 in a non-league battle. The JV game tips off at 5 p.m.