By Cort Reynolds
HARROD - Visiting Ada lost a 45-44 nailbiter to backyard rival Allen East in a Northwest Conference girls basketball battle Thursday evening.

The Bulldog girls fell to 2-6 overall and 0-3 in the NWC with the tough defeat. Meanwhile, the Lady Mustangs improved to 1-5 and 1-1 in league play following their first victory.

Ada led 12-10 after one period, but AE pulled ahead 24-19 at halftime. Senior Tori Newland netted eight points to lead a momentum-changing 14-7 second quarter for the Mustangs. 

The Bulldogs outscored AE 13-9 in the third period to inch within 33-32 going into the final quarter.

Newland knocked down the eventual game-winning shot after an offensive rebound and kick-out pass, giving AE a 44-43 lead. Newland tallied eight points in the fourth period points and led all scorers in the game with 23 markers.

With three-tenths of a second left, Ada freshman guard Courtney Sumner hit a potential game-winning shot at the buzzer from about 22 feet. But the shot was disallowed for being released just after the horn.

"We didn't play so well the first half," said second-year Ada head coach Morgan Bass. "Second half was better. We did not pay attention to Newland enough, such as on help side when she caught it.

"It was super frustrating, but we never should have put ourselves in that situation in the first place," Bass continued. "The referees said Courtney couldn't catch and shoot with under .5 seconds left, which is what she did." 

Sumner topped Ada with 13 points, while sophomore guard Kirsten Poling tallied 11. Junior post Miranda Wills and soph guard Timber Blankenship each netted seven points. Junior Alexis Waugh added six points.

Emma Tobe supported Newland with 14 points for AE.

The Mustangs sank 21 field goals, all of the two-point variety. AE converted just three of nine free throws (33 percent).

Ada canned 14 two-point baskets and one triple, and canned 13 of 22 foul shots (59 percent).

Ada 44 (2-6, 0-3 NWC)
Sumner 5 3-7 13, Poling 4 3-4 11, Light 0, Blankenship 3 0-1 7, Acheson 0, Waugh 1 4-6 6, Wills 2 3-4 7. 
Totals: 15/13-22/44. 3-pointers: Blankenship 1.

AE 45 (1-5, 1-1 NWC)
Newland 10 3-3 23, Brinkman 0, Truex 1 0-1 2, Tobe 7 0-3 14, Thaxton 1 0-0 2, Richardson 0 0-2 0, Rodriguez 2 0-0 4.
Totals: 21/3-9/45. 3-pointers: none. 

    1    2    3    4    F
Ada    12    7    13    12    44         
AE    10    14    9    12    45
No JV game.

Ada will be idle for a week until the third annual Border Battle tournament tips off at USV. The Lady Bulldogs face Waynesfield-Goshen (1-6) in the first semifinal game Thursday, December 26 at 6 p.m.

"Waynesfield will be physical and play hard," said Bass. 

AE and USV (0-4) then face off in the second semifinal Dec. 26. The winners meet in the tourney title game Saturday, Dec. 28 at 3 p.m. The girls third-place game will take place Dec. 28 at 10 a.m.

The Lady Bulldogs could get a rematch with Allen East in the Border tournament.