By Cort Reynolds
ADA - Visiting Delphos Jefferson raced to a 20-2 lead at Ada and cruised to a 54-26 win in Northwest Conference girls basketball action Thursday evening.
Sophomore guard Aly Lindeman scored eight points to help DJ gain a 15-2 lead in the opening four minutes.
A three-pointer by senior Addy Stewart was followed by a Delaney Deuel fast break layin off a nice Stewart pass that built a commanding 20-2 Wildcat bulge with 2:11 left in the opening stanza.
The closest the Lady Bulldogs got after the early onslaught was 36-22 on a right wing trifecta by Courtney Sumner with just over five minutes left in the third quarter.
But Jefferson responded with an 18-2 flurry to close the contest.
The Bulldog girls fell to 5-8 overall and 0-4 in the NWC with the defeat. Meanwhile, the Lady Wildcats improved to 6-7 and 2-1 in NWC play with the victory.
"The bad start hurt us," said Ada second-year head coach Morgan Bass. "We didn't shoot very good. We did some good things on offense, but we just couldn't finish."
Lindeman hit a three-pointer, three foul shots and a deuce in the first period to spearhead the quick start. Stewart also drained two triples in the early outburst.
Freshman guard Sumner sank the first Bulldog field goal with 1:14 left in the first period on a right baseline turnaround shot that made it 20-4.
DJ junior forward Karly Mawhorr posted up and scored on a short shot in the lane. Sumner canned a driving floater just before the buzzer to pull within 22-6 after one period.
"They hit shots early, and we had a slow start," explained Bass.
Wildcat guard Josie McGue sank a short baseline shot and a free throw early in the second period.
Sumner's right side deuce was answered by a driving Deuel layup midway through the second period. Ada junior Alexis Waugh canned a layin at the three-minute mark, yet Stewart buried a left wing trifecta 20 seconds later.
Ada sophomore Kirsten Poling banked in a lane shot, followed by a Miranda Wills layin to make it 30-14. Kaylee Buzard drilled a pull-up bank shot, and Wills splashed two foul shots to inch within 32-16 at halftime.
A Josie McGue trey opened the second half for Jefferson. Waugh split two free throws and junior post Megan Light nailed a nine-footer off an in-bounds pass from Sumner.
Sumner hit a right wing triple, but Stewart answered with a triple and Deuel added a layup to ignite the closing spurt.
Junior post Wills banked in a short left side shot, followed by a driving layup from Mallory Bridges. Lindeman drove the left baseline and powered in a layup to give the visitors a 45-24 margin as they outscored the hosts 13-8 in the third period.
Deuel sank a free throw and a spinning bank shot off a post-up to begin the final stanza. Lindeman hit a layup and Mawhorr then canned a short baseline shot.
Another Deuel layin capped the 13-0 Wildcat spurt which built the lead to 30. Sumner closed the scoring when her running banker in transition rolled around the rim and in.
"Delphos is a good team," said Bass. "They are long, lanky and athletic."
Lindeman and Deuel led DJ with 14 points apiece. Stewart contributed a dozen markers, and sophomore McGue added six points.
Sumner led Ada with 11 points, while Wills added seven.
The Ada girls sank 10 baskets, including nine two-pointers and one from three-point range. The Lady Bulldogs canned five of 10 from the charity stripe (50 percent).
The Wildcat girls made 21 field goals, six of which were three-point baskets. DJ converted six of 12 at the foul line (50 percent).
Jefferson also won the two-quarter JV game, 26-2. Rylynn Marquiss led the Wildcat reserves with 11 points.
D. Jeff 54 (6-7, 2-1 NWC)
Buzard 1 0-0 2, Stewart 4 0-2 12, Lindeman 5 3-3 14, Deuel 6 2-5 14, Mawhorr 2 0-0 4, McGue 2 1-2 6, Bridges 1 0-0 2.
Totals: 21/6-12/54. 3-pointers: Stewart 4, Lindeman 1, McGue 1.
Ada 26 (5-8, 0-4 NWC)
Sumner 5 0-0 11, Poling 1 0-0 2, Light 1 0-2 2, Acheson 0, Waugh 1 2-4 4, Wills 2 3-4 7, Jordan 0, Phillips 0, Cortez 0.
Totals: 10/5-10/26. 3-pointers: Sumner 1.
1 2 3 4 F
DJ 22 10 13 9 54
Ada 6 10 8 2 26
JV: DJ 26, Ada 2.
Ada visits solid non-league foe McComb (5-4) Saturday, January 11.
