By Cort Reynolds
ADA - Visiting Delphos Jefferson raced to a 25-3 lead and rolled on for a 68-34 win over Ada in a Northwest Conference girls basketball contest Thursday evening.
The purple and gold dropped to 1-6 and 0-3 in the NWC with the defeat, while the Lady Wildcats improved to 7-2 and 2-0 after the win.
Wildcat senior guard Devyn Carder scored eight of her 14 points early as hot-shooting DJ pressed and bombed its way to a 19-3 bulge just over four minutes into the fray.
"They made open shots and we were bad defensively early," explained Ada head coach Bill Taflinger. "We couldn't handle their press, and our halfcourt defense was bad. Jefferson is pretty good, but we have got a lot of work to do still."
Left wing trifectas by Bulldogs Raina England and Maddie Gossard cut the lead to 25-6. Yet Alli McClurg's third layup of the opening stanza made it a 21-point cushion after eight minutes of play.
Consecutive left wing triples by Carder and Macy Wallace opened the second stanza well for DJ. Ada's England sank a stickback, followed by back-to-back baskets from Wildcat senior Sarah Miller.
Gossard canned two more baskets but DJ built a 43-12 margin by intermission after consecutive late putbacks by Delaney Deuel.
Two treys and a short banker in transition by Gossard accounted for eight of Ada's 11 third period points. Jefferson built its biggest lead at 55-16 before the purple and gold offense got going on a Gossard trifecta.
Senior Anney Archer converted three free throws in the quarter, which ended with the Wildcats on top 61-23 after a layup at the buzzer from Michelle Rode.
The Bulldogs outscored DJ 11-7 in the final quarter as England and Gossard drained early field goals. Archer then drilled a right wing triple to cut it to 65-30.
Archer added two foul shots and splashed a right baseline mid-range shot to close the scoring as the Bulldogs closed on an 11-3 run.
"We only got outscored 25-22 in the second half," said Taflinger when asked for positives. "Once they took the press off, we played better."
Gossard topped Ada with 17 points. Archer contributed all 10 of her markers in the second half, and England added seven as only three Bulldogs scored.
"Maddie is going to have to score for us, and others have to pick it up as well," Taflinger noted.
McClurg netted a dozen points inside and Wallace added 11 to support Carder in double figures. Ten Wildcats scored as they substituted liberally in the second half.
Ada sank 12 field goals, including five treys. The Bulldogs converted five of nine from the foul line (56 percent).
DJ canned 28 baskets, including six first half triples. The Wildcats canned six of seven at the charity stripe (86 percent).
Jefferson also won a two-quarter reserve game, 21-10. Alexis Waugh led Ada with four points.
Ada 34 (1-6, 0-3 NWC)
M. Gossard 7 0-0 17, Coulson 0, Archer 2 5-6 10, England 3 0-0 7, Conley 0 0-2 0, Wills 0, Rush 0, Light 0, Acheson 0.
Totals: 12/5-9/34. 3-pointers: M. Gossard 3, Archer 1, England 1.
D. Jeff 68 (7-2, 2-0 NWC)
Buzard 1 0-0 2, Stewart 3 0-0 8, Carder 4 3-3 14, Wallace 5 0-0 11, McGue 1 0-0 2, Ay. McClurg 1 0-0 2, Al. McClurg 5 2-2 12, Miller 3 0-0 6, Deuel 3 0-0 6, Rode 2 1-2 5.
Totals: 28/6-7/68. 3-pointers: Carder 3, Stewart 2, Wallace 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 6 6 11 11 34
DJ 27 16 18 7 68
JV: DJ 21, Ada 10.
After a seven-day break from games, Ada will play in the inaugural four-team Border Battle tournament at Waynesfield Dec. 28/30.
The Bulldogs (1-2 road) will take on the host Tigers (2-5) in the semifinals Thursday, Dec. 28 at 6 p.m. Then Ada will face USV (2-4) or Allen East (3-3) on Saturday, Dec. 30 either at noon in the third-place game, or at 6 p.m. in the title game.
"We can't hang our heads when things go bad," said Taflinger. "When we make turnovers, things can snowball and turn ugly."
The game slated at home Dec. 27 against Maumee Valley Country Day has been moved to February 5
