PHOTOS by Mark Andreasen / CLICK to englarge

By Cort Reynolds

ADA __The Ada High School girls basketball team used a big second half to soundly defeat visiting Blanchard Valley Conference rival Arlington 59-32 on Thursday, January 29.

Ada senior Anna Conley pumped in a season-high 23 points to pace the Bulldog girls to victory.

The Bulldogs improved to 10-9 overall and 3-6 in the BVC after the decisive home victory. Ada outscored the Red Devils by a combined total of 38-14 in the second and fourth periods.

Arlington dropped to 9-9 overall and 4-4 in BVC play with the defeat.

“It was a great team win,” said Ada head coach Zach Ricker. “We executed the game plan defensively, and stayed disciplined in what we wanted to do on the defensive end.”

The game was tied 8-8 after the first period. Conley then poured in 10 second period points to lead Ada to a 24-13 halftime lead. A 13-10 third stanza extended the margin to 37-23.

The Bulldogs then blew the game completely open with a 22-9 fourth quarter. Bulldog freshman Te’a Griffith scored nine of her 15 points in the fourth quarter.

Freshman Shay Smith hit a trifecta and scored four points in the final stanza. Freshman guard Lucy Carter contributed eight markers.

Junior guard Jaylin St. Laurent scored five points and nailed one triple.  

Allison Settlage led Arlington with 11 points and three treys.

Conley has tallied 45 points in the last two Ada victories.

The Bulldog girls connected on 20 two-point goals, knocked down two triples and converted 13 of 17 free throws (76 percent). 

The Red Devils canned five two-pointers, buried six treys and sank four of eight charity stripers (50 percent). 

The Bulldog girls improved to 5-6 at home with the victory.

UP NEXT
Having won two games in a row, Ada entertains Calvary Christian (2-12) on Tuesday, Feb. 3. The Bulldog girls then visit league foe Pandora-Gilboa (9-8, 4-3 BVC) on Feb. 5.

Ada 59 (10-9, 3-6 BVC)

St. Laurent 2 0-0 5, Gibson 1 0-0 2, Smith 1 1-2 4, Carter 3 2-2 8, Conley 9 5-7 23, Hevlin 1 0-0 2, Griffith 5 5-6 15. 

Totals: 20-2/13-17/59. 3-pointers: St. Laurent 1, Smith 1.

Arlington 32 (9-9, 4-4 BVC)

Alexander 2 0-0 4, Hartman 0 1-2 1, Grieser 0 1-2 1, Settlage 4 0-0 11, Ernst 2 0-0 6, Smith 0 2-4 2, Heacock 1 0-0 3, Bower 2 0-0 4.

Totals: 5-6/4-8/32. 3-pointers: Settlage 3, Ernst 2, Heacock 1.