By Cort Reynolds

ARLINGTON__The visiting Ada High School boys basketball team lost a 40-27 defensive struggle at Blanchard Valley Conference rival Arlington on Friday night, January 30.

Arlington 6-10 senior center Calvin Willow scored a game-high 23 points, augmented by 11 of 16 foul shooting. He converted six of eight charity stripe tries in the fourth quarter.

The Bulldogs trailed 7-5 after a low-scoring first period.

A 12-4 Red Devil second quarter gave the hosts a 19-9 lead at halftime. The Bulldogs won a tight third stanza 9-8 to slice the deficit to 27-18 heading into the final period.

The Devils won the fourth quarter 13-9 as they canned nine of 11 foul shots down the final stretch to seal the verdict.

Ada dropped to 11-6 overall and 4-4 in BVC play with the road defeat.

Arlington improved to 14-3 overall and 6-1 in the BVC after the home victory to stay second in the league standings behind Van Buren (8-0).

“We couldn’t make shots,” said Ada head coach Chris Sautter. “We got good looks, they just didn’t fall. It is hard to guard 6-10.

”They are the only team to play the 2-3 zone defense they do, and it is tough to prepare for,” he added.

Junior Carson Conley led the Bulldogs with 12 points and two triples. Senior Zack Zimmerman contributed five of his 11 markers in the first period.  

Conley canned a deuce and a triple in the final stanza.

In the fourth period, Willow tallied 10 points. He also scored nine markers in the second stanza.

Arlington’s Ayden Cavinee drilled two triples in the third period and ended up with eight points.

The Bulldogs connected on eight two-point goals and buried three trifectas. Ada converted two of five free throws (40 percent).

Arlington canned seven deuces and drained four treys. The Red Devils sank 14 of 21 foul shots (67 percent). 

The Bulldog point output was their lowest of the season.

UP NEXT

Ada hosts BVC foe Pandora-Gilboa (7-8, 4-3 BVC) on Friday, Feb. 6. The Rockets lost at home to league-leading Van Buren (14-1, 8-0 BVC) Friday night, 44-36.

The Bulldogs entertain non-league foe Fort Jennings (6-10) on Tuesday, Feb. 10 in a makeup game that was postponed early in the season.

Ada 27 (11-6, 4-4 BVC)

Oldfield 1 0-0 2, Zimmerman 5 0-0 11, Stauffer 0 0-0 0, Conley 4 2-5 12, Allen 0 0-0 0, McKean 1 0-0 2, Griffith 0, Zoladz 0 0-0 0, Hickman 0 0-0 0. 

TOTALS: 8-3/2-5/27. 3-pointers: Conley 2, Zimmerman 1.

Arlington 40 (14-3, 6-1 BVC)

Metzger 0 1-1 1, Rausch 1 0-2 3, Heacock 2 0-0 5, Cavinee 2 2-2 8, Willow 6 11-16 23.

TOTALS: 7-4/14-21/40. 3-pointers: Cavinee 2, Heacock 1, Rausch 1.