By Cort Reynolds
ADA - Host Ada finished on a 22-10 run to pull away from a close battle against backyard rival Allen East and win 55-42 in Northwest Conference boys basketball action Friday night.
Ada led the tight, hard-fought contest 33-32 late in the third quarter when AE missed a fast break layup. Bulldog junior Zac Swaney quickly buried a trifecta at the other end for a crucial five-point swing.
On the next Ada possession, Swaney drained another trey to build the lead to seven. Classmate playmaker Brandon Hull bounced in a floater just before the end of the third period to stretch the advantage to 41-32.
Bulldog senior wing Phillip Coulson canned a short bank shot to open the fourth period and cap the decisive 10-0 Ada run.
The Mustangs inched within 43-36 on consecutive baskets by senior Logan McCluer with six minutes remaining, but could get no closer than seven points the rest of the way.
"Those back to back three's by Zac broke it open," said Ada fourth-year head coach Dre White. "I was happy with how we finished the game. We finally made some timely, winning plays down the stretch."
The Bulldogs improved to 2-5 overall and 1-1 in NWC play with the win, while AE fell to 3-3 overall and 0-2 in league play with the defeat.
After the Mustangs cut the deficit to 43-36, Coulson sank a left-handed layup in transition off a nice pass from Hull with 5:23 remaining. Ada senior post Ty Miller bounced in a layup before AE senior Mason Dotson banked in a half-hook at the 4:20 mark to stay within 47-38.
Mustang head coach Brad Clum was then assessed a technical foul for disputing a traveling call that took away a Mustang fast break basket.
Bulldog junior guard Micah Cook converted three of four free throws to build a 12-point bulge. Miller followed by hitting a short bank shot with 2:37 left to extend the Ada advantage to an insurmountable 52-38.
McCluer sank a layup, yet Coulson answered with a bank shot at the 1:22 juncture. Miller split two charity stripers before Gabe Criblez hit a bank shot with 44 ticks remaining to cut the final margin to 13.
"Ty Miller played his butt off," White noted. "He gives us a physical presence inside."
Miller grabbed six of his team-high 10 rebounds on offense, and added nine big points.
Swaney led Ada with 16 points on 7-10 field goal shooting. "It was nice to see Zac shoot it well," White observed. Cook added a dozen markers behind three triples. Hull scored nine points and dished out several assists.
Junior guard Bradden Crumrine led AE with eight points.
The Mustangs ran off six unanswered points to grab an early 8-4 lead. Cook then splashed a right side triple with 52 seconds left in the opening stanza.
Cayden Murphy canned a baseline driving shot to give Ada a 9-8 edge after one quarter. A left corner trey by Mason Dotson put AE back in front 11-10 during a seesaw second stanza.
Hull drained a left wing triple to put the hosts on top 13-11. Yet AE senior Gavin Hutchison converted a steal into a double-pump layup and three-point play as the Mustangs regained the lead, 14-13.
A follow shot by Garrett Newland and a post-up basket from Criblez extended the AE lead to 18-13. The 7-0 run was stopped by two Miller foul shots 3:33 before halftime.
Cook tied it by knocking down a right corner three 27 seconds later. A short banker by Criblez put AE back in front at the 2:30 mark.
A minute later, Miller then yanked down a strong offensive board and sank a power layup to tie it 20-20. Hutchison canned a short bank shot 14 seconds before intermission to give the visitors a 22-20 edge at the half.
Ada came out strong in the third period, taking the lead on Cook's right wing trifecta. The speedy Swaney followed by converting a transition layup for a 25-22 margin with 6:17 to go in the quarter.
Newland canned a layup and Crumrine sank a short southpaw shot to give AE its last lead 26-25 at the 5:28 mark. Swaney then sank a pull-up mid-range shot from the right baseline.
The junior guard then netted a transition layin off a nice Hull dish for a 29-26 Bulldog lead. Crumrine answered with a fast break layup of his own. Hull responded by knocking down a half hook at the 2:55 juncture.
Swaney then scored again off a Hull assist for a 33-28 cushion with two minutes left. Newland canned a bank shot and the quick Crumrine sank another transition hoop to get AE within a point.
But then Ada went on its crucial 10-0 flurry to take command of the contest.
"I thought their bigs played hard, and Criblez runs the floor very hard," White said. "They had some success against Delphos Jefferson by going big, so I expected them to try the same against us.
"We made some halftime adjustments in fighting harder for inside position," he continued. "I also told the kids to get up and down the floor better."
Ada scored several baskets on the fast break en route to a big 21-10 third period that turned the game in their favor.
Dotson netted seven points while McCluer, Newland and Criblez added six apiece.
The Bulldogs connected on 21 of 60 shots overall from the field (35 percent). They canned six of 19 beyond the arc (32 percent), and found the mark on 15 of 41 two-point shots (37 percent).
Ada converted seven of 15 from the charity stripe (47 percent) as they improved to 2-2 at home this season.
The Mustangs shot 42 percent overall from the floor, sinking 20 of of their 48 field goal tries. AE made a strong 19 of 32 from two-point range (59 percent), but hit only one of 16 from three-point territory (six percent).
AE also shot just two free throws, making one (50 percent).
"We put a big point of emphasis on contesting their three-point shots and limiting their free throws, so I was pleased with those areas," said White.
AE out-rebounded Ada, 35-31. The Bulldogs committed 13 turnovers, while the Mustangs were guilty of 23 costly errors in the contest.
Ada also won the junior varsity game, 45-42. The purple and gold reserves improved to 3-4 with the win. Tristan Conley led the Bulldog JV with 13 points.
Ada junior Jake Poling made a key steal in the final seconds with the Bulldogs up a point to preserve the win. Zach Miller topped the Mustang reserves with 14 points.
Ada 55 (2-5, 1-1 NWC)
Swaney 7 0-0 16, C. Murphy 1 0-0 2, Hull 4 0-2 9, Coulson 3 1-3 7, Rayl 0, Cook 3 3-4 12, Miller 3 3-6 9.
Totals: 21-60/7-15/55. 3-pointers (6-19): Cook 3, Swaney 2, Hull 1.
AE 42 (3-3, 0-2 NWC)
Crumrine 4 0-0 8, Hutchison 3 1-1 7, McCluer 3 0-1 6, Newland 3 0-0 6, Criblez 3 0-0 6, Fletcher 1 0-0 2, Dotson 3 0-0 7, Koontz 0.
Totals: 20-48/1-2/42. 3-pointers (1-16): Dotson 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 9 11 21 14 55
AE 8 14 10 10 42
JV: Ada 45, AE 42.
The Bulldogs then play Waynesfield (1-5) in the semifinals of the third annual Border Battle Friday, December 27 at USV with the game tipping off at 6 p.m. AE plays USV in the second semifinal Dec. 27.
The third-place consolation game is at noon on Saturday, Dec. 28. The title game is at 5 p.m. on Dec. 28.
