By Cort Reynolds
FORT JENNINGS–The visiting Ada High School boys basketball team rallied late to win a non-conference battle over Ft. Jennings 44-41 Saturday night, November 26.
Ada starts the season 2-0 with their second straight road win in as many nights. The Musketeers fell to 0-2 with the defeat.
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The Bulldogs outscored Ft. Jennings 12-7 in the fourth period to pull off the victory.
"We trailed most of the game, didn't play very well," said second-year Bulldog head coach Vince Halliday. "But we got enough stops at the end to get the win.
"It was a gritty win," he added. "I am proud of the guys for finding a way."
Senior Carter Conley led Ada with 16 points and four rebounds. Senior Ethan Murphy tallied 12 markers, while classmate Jayden Bankston netted nine.
Ada trailed 9-7 after the first period, and inched within 23-22 at halftime. FJ still led 34-32 heading to the final stanza.
Bankston hit a foul shot to give Ada a 44-41 lead with eight seconds after a Bulldog steal.
FJ got off a last-ditch three-pointer to tie from the corner at the buzzer, but it was well-contested. The final shot grazed the rim as it fell short.
Ada senior guard Spencer Wall contributed four points and three rebounds.
FJ's Owen Calvelage led all scorers with 19 points. He splashed five triples.
The Bulldogs sank 17 shots overall from the field, including 14 two-point goals and three trifectas.
The Bulldogs converted seven of 12 shots from the charity stripe (58 percent). They outscored FJ seven to one at the foul line.
FJ also canned 17 field goals. Eleven of their baskets came inside the arc, while they also made six three-point goals. The Musketeers sank one of just four attempts at the foul line (25 percent).
The Bulldogs also won the reserve contest 31-18 to improve to 1-1. Zach Zimmerman scored 13 points, while Gavin Oldfield added eight for the Ada JVs.
Ada 44 (2-0)
Wall 2 0-2 4, Sutherly 0, Bankston 3 3-5 9, Conley 7 1-2 16, Leal 0, Preston 1 0-0 3, Murphy 4 3-3 12.
Totals: 14-3/7-12/44. 3-pointers: Murphy 1, Preston 1, Conley 1.
FJ 41 (0-2)
Menke 1 0-0 2, Calvelage 7 0-0 19, Swick 1 1-4 4, Neidert 3 0-0 6, Koester 3 0-0 6, Hoersten 2 0-0 4.
Totals: 11-6/1-4/41. 3-pointers: Calvelage 5, Swick 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 7 15 12 10 44
FtJ 9 14 11 7 41
JV: Ada 31, FJ 18.
Ada hosts McComb in its home opener Saturday, December 3.
