By Cort Reynolds
COLUMBUS GROVE--The previously-undefeated Ada boys basketball team lost a 53-52 barnburner that went down to the very final second before being decided at Columbus Grove in a seesaw Northwest Conference opener Friday night.
"It was a tough game throughout, both sides played hard," said second-year Ada head coach Vince Halliday. "It was back and forth at the end, and they just made one more play than we did in those last few possessions."
Grove sophomore Trenton Barraza scored five baskets in the fourth period to lead the hosts to the tight win.
Ada went ahead 52-51 with about 20 seconds left to play on a driving basket by senior Jayden Bankston.
Barraza then drove baseline to make a tough shot that put CG back in front 53-52 with 8.5 seconds remaining.
After an Ada timeout, senior guard Spencer Wall penetrated against the CG defense. But his last-second, 10-foot turnaround shot from just to the right of the lane bounced on the rim twice and fell off at the buzzer.
Ada dropped to 3-1 overall and 0-1 in the NWC with their first defeat in the annual basketball "Battle of the Bulldogs."
After a long playoff football run, Grove won its belated opener to start out 1-0 overall and 1-0 in league action.
Bulldog senior Carter Conley led Ada with 13 points. Sixth man Bankston contributed a dozen markers. Wall netted 10 points, while classmate Grant Preston added nine.
Ada led 11-7 after the first period, but fell behind 24-19 at intermission. The Bulldogs erupted for 23 points in the third quarter to grab a 42-41 edge after three stanzas.
But Grove won the final period 12-10, and captured the game by a single point.
"That was a tough loss," said Halliday. "Both teams loosened up and made shots in the third quarter."
Barraza led all scorers with 15 points. Junior Zach Reynolds added 10 markers.
"Grove is young and talented," Halliday noted. "They will only get better."
The purple and gold Bulldogs sank 19 shots overall from the field, including 15 two-point goals and four trifectas.
Ada converted 10 of 17 shots from the charity stripe (59 percent).
CG canned 23 field goals. Eighteen of their baskets came inside the arc, while they also made five three-point goals. The host Bulldogs sank two of just five attempts at the foul line (40 percent).
Ada lost the reserve contest, 35-27.
Ada 52 (3-1, 0-1 NWC)
Wall 5 0-0 10, Sutherly 0, Bankston 3 5-7 12, Conley 5 2-2 13, Leal 1 1-4 3, Preston 4 0-0 9, Murphy 1 2-4 5.
Totals: 15-4/10-17/52. 3-pointers: Preston 1, Conley 1, Bankston 1, Murphy 1.
Grove 53 (1-0, 1-0 NWC)
Reynolds 5 0-2 10, Barraza 7 0-0 15, Sautter 2 0-0 6, Mayes 1 0-0 2, Best 1 0-0 2, Hopkins 2 0-0 5, Bame 2 0-0 5, Koch 3 2-3 8.
Totals: 18-5/2-5/53. 3-pointers: Sautter 2, Barraz 1, Hopkins 1, Bame 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 11 8 23 10 52
CG 7 17 17 12 53
JV: CG 35, Ada 27.
Ada (2-1 road) visits Perry (2-3) in a non-league bout Saturday, Dec. 10. The Commodores beat Marion Elgin 52-39 Friday.
"Back at it Saturday at Perry," said Halliday.
The Bulldogs (1-0 home) return home next Friday to face league rival Bluffton (1-3, 1-0 NWC).
