Above) Anna Conley (#21) led the Bulldogs in scoring.

By Cort Reynolds

LIMA - The visiting Ada High School girls basketball team rode strong play in the middle quarters to a 40-34 win over non-conference foe Lima Central Catholic on Tuesday, January 7.

The hard-fought road victory upped the Bulldog record to 2-10. LCC fell to 2-8 after the defeat.

“It was a great win for the girls, and a great learning experience of how to win close games,” said Bulldog third-year head coach Zach Ricker. 

Ada trailed 9-5 after the first period. But a 16-7 second quarter flurry propelled the Bulldogs to a 21-16 halftime lead. 

“In the second quarter I felt like we finally settled down and we were a lot more relaxed, which led to us hitting some shots,” said Ricker.

LCC came out of the locker room and scored the first eight points of the second half to seize a 24-21 advantage. 

But the Bulldogs responded well as Anna Conley scored all nine Ada points in the third period to put the visitors back on top 30-25 heading to the final quarter.

Ada never relinquished the lead in the fourth stanza. The Bulldogs knocked down five field goals to win the period 10-9 and ultimately triumph by six points.

Bulldogs Ashley Hevlin and Brooklynn Andreasen each canned two big baskets in the final period to help clinch the victory.

Junior Conley led all players with 20 points, 11 of which came in the second half. “She was being more aggressive and driving to the basket,” explained Ricker of Conley’s output.

Sophomore Andreasen and junior Hevlin tallied six points apiece. Ada senior Lexi Poling added five markers as she nailed the lone Bulldog trey.  

Thunderbird Aubrey Frankhouser led LCC with 13 points, seven of which came in the fourth period. Teammate Carolina Kill added 11 markers. 

Ada sank 15 deuces and drained one triple. The Bulldogs converted seven of 13 foul shots (54 percent).

LCC canned just four two-pointers and splashed four treys. The T-Birds converted 14 of 26 free throws (54 percent).

Ada (0-5 BVC) hosts co-league leader Liberty-Benton (8-5, 5-1 BVC) Thursday, Jan. 9 to finish off a boys/girls tripleheader vs. the Eagles. L-B is tied with McComb (10-2, 5-1 BVC) atop the girls league standings.

The boys JV game will start at 5 p.m., followed by the boys varsity contest at approximately 6:30 p.m.  The girls varsity game between Ada and L-B will cap the evening.

The Bulldog girls have won two of their last five games. Ada is 2-4 on the road and 0-6 at home this season.

No JV game.

Ada 40 (2-10)
Lawrence 0 0-0 0, K. Poling 0 0-0 0, Gibson 1 0-0 2, L. Poling 2 0-0 5, Hevlin 2 2-4 6, Burns 0 1-2 1, Conley 8 4-7 20, Andreasen 3 0-0 6.
Totals: 15-1/7-13/40. 3-pointers: L. Poling 1. 
 

LCC 34 (2-8)
Frankhouser 2 7-12 13, Gephart 2 0-0 4, Reif 2 0-0 5, Bagley 0 1-2 1, Venturella 0 0-2 0, Kill 2 6-8 11.

Totals: 4-4/14-26/34. 3-pointers: Frankhouser 2, Kill 1, Reif 1.