By Cort Reynolds
McGUFFEY - Ada rallied from an early 14-point deficit to defeat local rival Allen East 48-39 and win the third annual Border Battle girls basketball tournament championship Saturday afternoon at McGuffey.
The Bulldog improved to 4-6 with the win, their first tourney championship victory. The Lady Mustangs fell to 2-6 with the defeat.
Ada had lost a controversial 45-44 bout at AE Dec. 19, but roared back from a slow start Saturday to get some revenge and win the crown.
"It feels good to hold up a banner," said Ada second-year head coach Morgan Bass.
The Bulldogs trailed 18-4 after one period, but outscored AE 44-21 over the final three quarters to post the comeback victory. Ada outscored the Mustangs 24-1 at the charity stripe to provide a major difference in the outcome.
Bulldog freshman guard Courtney Sumner started the fourth period with a short bank shot that capped an 8-0 run and gave Ada a 37-30 edge at the 7:25 mark.
Mustang freshman Elle Richardson sank one foul shot and senior post Tori Newland rebounded her second-shot miss for a layup to pull within 37-33. AE's Kennedy Truex then canned a goal to cut the deficit to two.
Hustling Ada junior Miranda Wills emerged from a scrum under the basket with a key loose ball. While on the floor, she passed to Alexis Waugh for a crucial three-footer in the lane with 6:11 remaining.
Sumner converted two foul shots to rebuild the lead to six with 5:52 left. Yet Newland turned back-to-back steals into easy baskets to inch AE within 41-39 at the 5:05 juncture.
Sumner then drew several fouls and hit five of eight charity stripers. Wills made a diving steal at the 1:45 mark, then split four free tosses of her own.
Ada then ran out the rest of the clock to clinch the title. AE was limited to 10 baskets and 21 points over the final three quarters.
"We had a bad first quarter but it's more about how you finish," Bass offered. "We were a little nervous, and we are still young. We are not used to big crowds.
"But I am proud of our overall effort," she continued. "We rose to the occasion when we needed to. We stayed tough and played well. We thought that if we could contain Newland, we could win. She is a heck of a player."
AE threatened to run away with the title after a strong start. Freshman guard Truex sank two layups early to provide a 4-0 lead. Sophomore Kirsten Poling sank a 11-footer off the right baseline to get Ada on the board at the 4:45 mark.
Tori Newland canned a bank shot for a 6-2 lead. Truex then scored off a press-breaker feed from Newland. Newland then canned a follow shot for a 10-2 cushion with 3:11 to go.
Mustang Emma Tobe scored inside for a 10-point bulge. Truex then buried a 12-footer to complete a 10-0 run. Poling stopped the flurry with one free throw at the 1:20 mark.
Kristin Whitley sank a short shot for AE, and Miranda Wills split two charity stripers. Newland answered with a field goal inside to put AE ahead 18-4 after the first quarter.
"They beat our press early, and after that we just went straight man to man defense," explained Bass of the slow start.
Sumner hit a foul shot and a right corner triple to cut it to 18-8 40 seconds into the second quarter, igniting the dormant Ada offense. Poling bounced in two foul shots to make it 18-10.
Poling then beat everyone downcourt for a layup off a feed from Sumner with six minutes left. Newland stole the ball and went coast to coast for a pull-up banker and a 20-13 edge.
Poling sank a running one-footed banker, followed by a basket from AE's Elle Richardson. Wills converted two foul shots to pull Ada within 22-17.
Tobe drained a 12-footer in the lane in the final minute of the half to extend the Mustang lead to 24-17 at intermission.
Wills split two foul shots in the first minute of the second half. Alexis Waugh hit a driving banker and Poling canned a layup off a Sumner steal and assist to pull the Bulldogs within 24-22.
Waugh split two foul shots, and junior Megan Light sank a short banker to give Ada its first lead 25-24 at the 4:11 mark.
Wills canned four foul shots to offset a Truex layup for a 29-26 edge. Newland scored inside, followed by a three-point play from Wills that gave Ada a 32-28 advantage.
Nikki Thaxton canned a fast break layup to cut it to 32-30, but Sumner buried a long right wing triple with 17 seconds left in the third period.
Ada outscored AE 18-6 in the pivotal third stanza. The last nine Bulldog points of the game came from the foul line.
Newland and Sumner tied for game-high scoring honors with 16 points apiece. Nine of Sumner's points came in the fourth quarter.
Wills canned a dozen free throws en route to 14 points, while Poling added 11 markers. The tough defense of Wills also helped limit Newland to just six second half points.
Truex also netted a dozen points for AE, but no other Mustang tallied more than four.
"I thought Courtney composed herself and came up big in the fourth quarter," said Bass. "Megan stepped up her effort. This was a big win for us confidence-wise. We have potential and are a lot better than last year."
Ada canned nine two-point baskets and hit two triples. The Bulldogs converted 24 of 35 foul shots (69 percent).
The Mustangs sank 19 field goals, all two-pointers. But AE converted one of just six free throw tries (17 percent).
Ada 48 (4-6)
Sumner 3 8-12 16, Poling 4 3-4 11, Light 1 0-0 2, Blankenship 0, Acheson 0, Waugh 2 1-2 5, Wills 1 12-17 14.
Totals: 11/24-35/48. 3-pointers: Sumner 2.
AE 39 (2-6)
Newland 8 0-2 16, Truex 6 0-1 12, Tobe 2 0-0 4, Thaxton 1 0-0 2, Richardson 1 1-3 3, Whiteley 1 0-0 2.
Totals: 19/1-6/39. 3-pointers: none.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 4 13 18 13 48
AE 18 6 6 9 39
No JV game.
Waynesfield beat USV in the third-place game Saturday morning.
Ada hosts county rival Kenton (3-3) Saturday, January 4 with a noon JV tip-off.
