By Cort Reynolds

ADA__The Ada High School boys basketball team lost 58-51 to visiting non-conference foe Fort Jennings in a makeup contest on Tuesday, February 10.

The Bulldogs trailed 18-13 after the first quarter, but Ada clawed back in front after a 13-7 second period to lead by one point at halftime.

Ada consolidated its lead with a 16-13 third stanza to stay ahead 42-38 heading into the decisive final period.

But FJ exploded for a 20-9 fourth quarter to win by seven. Musketeer senior guard Calvin Menke sank nine of his 10 foul shots in the final stanza and tallied a game-high 25 points to torpedo the Bulldogs.

Ada dropped to 12-7 with the home defeat.

Fort Jennings improved to 7-13 after the upset road victory.

“You would think that if you had three guys in double figures, you shot five of nine from the three-point line and eight for 10 from the free throw line - and you had 10 offensive rebounds and scored 10 points off those rebounds, and you scored over 50 points - that you did enough offensively to win the game,” said Ada head coach Chris Sautter. 

”But we flat-out couldn’t guard anybody tonight at the defensive end,” he continued. “And we have been so good defensively all year. The defense let us down.”

Bulldog senior Kayleb Hickman nailed four second-half triples and scored 14 of his team-high 16 points after intermission.

Junior Carson Conley pumped in nine of his 14 points in the first period, including one trifecta.

Senior Zack Zimmerman poured in eight of his 13 markers on four second-quarter baskets. 

Sophomore center Adler Pothast contributed six of his 14 markers in the fourth period. Menke poured in 11 fourth-quarter points.

The Bulldogs connected on 14 two-point goals and splashed five trifectas. Ada converted eight of 10 free throws (80 percent).

FJ canned 15 deuces and also drilled five treys. The Musketeers sank 13 of 14 foul shots (93 percent). 

Ada withstood a late Musketeer rally to win a close JV game, 41-40. Max Baumgartner and Lucas Henson each scored 11 points to pace the Bulldog reserves.

UP NEXT
Ada visits non-league foe Temple Christian (10-9) on Saturday, Feb. 14.

Ada 51 (12-7)

Oldfield 2 2-2 6, Zimmerman 5 3-4 13, Stauffer 0, Conley 5 3-4 14, Allen 0 0-0 0, McKean 0, Griffith 0, Zoladz 1 0-0 2, Hickman 6 0-0 16. 

TOTALS: 14-5/8-10/51. 3-pointers: Hickman 4, Conley 1.

FJ 58 (7-13)

L. Stechschulte 3 0-0 7, Dube 1 0-0 3, H. Maag 1 0-0 2, J. Maag 1 0-0 3, Menke 6 11-12 25, Schroeder 2 0-0 4, Pothast 6 2-2 14.

TOTALS: 15-5/13-14/58. 3-pointers: Menke 2, L. Stechschulte 1, J Maag 1, Dube 1.