By Cort Reynolds

McGUFFEY__The visiting Ada High School girls basketball team scored late and dodged a last-second shot to edge Upper Scioto Valley 44-42 in a non-conference grudge rematch at Alumni Fieldhouse on Saturday, February 14.

Ada freshman Tea Grffith sank two clutch, tie-breaking foul shots with 31.7 seconds left to put the visitors ahead for good, 44-42. 

Layla Hunsicker intercepted a long Bulldog pass with 8.1 seconds left, giving the Ram girls had a last chance to tie or win it after calling timeout.

Hunsicker drove down the right side of the lane, but the Ada defense switched and her running shot went off the rim on the far side of the basket and caromed out of bounds as time expired.

Junior guard Kenley Poling and Ram Raegan Castle traded triples to tie it 42-42 after USV had taken its first lead of the game in the final minutes.

The Bulldogs finished the regular season at 12-10 overall after the hard-fought road victory. Ada ends up over .500 for the first time in a decade, after sweeping USV in their home and home series this season.

The Ram girls ended up 9-13 with the tough home loss.

“It was good to finish the regular season with a win going into the tournament,” said Ada head coach Zach Ricker.

The Bulldog girls led 5-0 after a Griffith layup and a Poling triple. Ram soph Ruby Risner splashed a triple to cut the Ada lead to 8-6 after the first period. 

Griffith scored six points in the second stanza and a 6-0 spurt gave Ada a 21-13 lead. But Castle and Hunsicker each buried a big trifecta late in the half to cut the Bulldog lead to 23-19 at halftime.  

In the third quarter, USV inched within 23-21 before Ada reeled off a 7-0 flurry to go ahead by nine. A pair of triples by Ram sophomore Araya Boyd got the hosts back in contention.

But Anna Conley scored six points and Lucy Carter tallied five to offset Boyd and give the Bulldogs a 37-30 margin heading into the final period.  

Two Kamyn Titus baskets and a Hunsicker stickback inched the charging Rams within 39-38. A Castle free throw finally tied it 39-all in the final minutes. 

Castle then drilled a triple to give USV its only lead of the game and cap a furious 21-9 rally. But Poling answered from deep with a huge response trey to equalize the score with 1:51 remaining. 

Castle then missed a shot, Ada rebounded and Griffith was later fouled before sinking the game-winning charity stripers.

The Rams rallied to win the fourth quarter 12-7, but the hosts came up just short.

Senior Conley and freshman Griffith each scored 12 points to pace the victors. Freshman Carter contributed 11 markers.

Poling nailed a pair of treys to score six points.

Ram sophomore Titus led a balanced USV attack with 10 points. Junior Castle netted nine markers, and junior Hunsicker scored eight points. Boyd added six.

The Bulldog girls connected on 12 two-point goals, drained four triples and converted eight of 12 foul shots (67 percent). 

USV canned just five two-pointers, but buried nine treys. The Rams sank   five of eight free throws (63 percent). Seven different USV players hit a three-pointer, with Boyd and Castle sinking two apiece.

Ada also beat the Rams 40-30 in the season opener on November 21 at home. 

UP NEXT
The Bulldog girls will play at backyard rival Allen East (11-11) in the first round of sectional tournament play on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. in Harrod.

The two long-time former league foes have not played over the last two regular seasons after Ada left the Northwest Conference to join the Blanchard Valley Conference.

The Ada/AE survivor will play fourth seed Riverdale (11-9) on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at Lima Senior. The Falcon girls beat visiting Ada 44-30 on December 11.

Ada 44 (12-10)

Poling 2 0-0 6, St. Laurent 1 0-0 3, Gibson 0, Smith 0 0-0 0, Carter 3 4-8 11, Conley 5 2-2 12, Hevlin 0, Griffith 5 2-2 12. 

Totals: 12-4/8-12/44. 3-pointers: Poling 2, St. Laurent 1, Carter 1.

USV 42 (9-13)

Risner 1 0-0 3, Boyd 2 0-0 6, Hunsicker 3 1-2 8, Titus 4 12 10, Cunningham 1 0-0 3, Burns 1 0-0 3, Castle 2 3-4 9, Curtis 0.  

Totals: 5-9/5-8/42. 3-pointers: Castle 2, Boyd 2, Hunsicker 1, Cunningham 1, Risner 1, Burns 1, Titus 1.