By Cort Reynolds
Friday the 13th was unlucky for the Ada High School boys basketball team as they lost 61-36 to hot three-point shooting by visiting Delphos Jefferson in Northwest Conference play Friday night.
The Wildcats authored a 16-0 run midway through the first half to seize control, and they were never threatened.
Ada fell to 5-7 overall and 0-4 in the NWC after suffering their fourth loss in a row. Meanwhile, DJ improved to 6-6 and 2-1 in NWC play with the surprisingly lopsided win.
"Delphos shot it really well early," said second-year Ada head coach Vince Halliday. "We didn't guard number four (Isaac Gallmeier).
"We had a good week of practice and then we came out and laid an egg," he lamented. "This is as disappointed as I have been with my team since I've been here. Very frustrating."
Gallmeier drained five first-half triples to shoot the Wildcats to a 33-17 intermission lead.
Ada senior Ethan Murphy sank a reverse layup putback to open the game, but that was the only Bulldog lead of the night.
Senior Carter Conley canned a trey and two other baskets to keep Ada tied at 9-9. But then Delphos reeled off the next 16 points to run away with the contest.
Caden Carder canned an off-balance 17-footer at the first period horn to give DJ a 16-9 lead.
Gallmeier started the second stanza by hitting three triples over the passive Ada zone.
"We knew he was a shooter, but we did not locate him," said Halliday.
The Wildcats bombed in five second-quarter treys, with one more each by Gallmeier and Carder, to build a 31-13 cushion. Cody Bailey hit a driving layup for their only non-three basket of the period to make it 33-17.
Conley scored the last 15 points of the half for Ada, but the hosts trailed by 16 at the midway break.
Wiry Wildcat Levi Rode sank a nice baseline drive and a left wing trifecta to extend the DJ lead to 21. Ada senior Jayden Bankston hit a layup, and classmate Spencer Wall made a putback to cut it to 43-24 after three quarters.
DJ 6-4 senior Trent Teman sank three inside baskets to stretch the margin to 25. Murphy completed a conventional three-point play, but Rode bounced in a floater.
Wall hit a foul shot and a stickback shot. Two Teman free throws gave the visitors their biggest lead of 26 points at 57-31.
Bankston sank a lane shot, and Conley buried a triple to close the Ada scoring.
Conley led all players with 20 points behind three triples. Three other Bulldogs - Murphy, Wall and Bankston - added five markers apiece.
Gallmeier led DJ with 19 points on five trifectas. Teman scored 12, and Rode added 11 markers.
Ada canned 12 field shots, hitting nine two-pointers and three shots beyond the arc. Delphos sank 24 baskets, including 16 deuces and eight treys.
The Bulldogs converted nine of 19 shots from the free throw line (47 percent). DJ hit five of 10 charity stripers (50 percent).
Ada lost a close reserve game, 39-38. Slade Gossman tallied 13 markers and Zack Zimmerman added eight.
Ada 36 (5-7, 0-4 NWC)
Bankston 2 1-3 5, Wall 2 1-3 5, Sutherly 0 0-0 0, Conley 5 5-8 20, Leal 0 0-0 0, Murphy 2 1-1 5, Preston 0 1-2 1, Erickson 0, Blankenship 0 0-2 0, Gossard 0 0-0 0, Jones 0 0-0 0, Hoffer 0 0-0 0.
Totals: 9-3/9-19/36. 3-pointers: Conley 3.
DJ 61 (6-6, 2-1 NWC)
Teman 5 2-5 12, A. Miller 1 3-3 5, Gallmeier 7 0-0 19, Carder 3 0-0 8, Bailey 1 0-0 2, Agner 2 0-2 4, Rode 5 0-0 11.
Totals: 16-8/5-10/61. 3-pointers: Gallmeier 5, Carder 2m Rode 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 9 8 7 12 36
DJ 16 17 10 18 61
JV: DJ 39, Ada 38.
The Bulldogs visit county rival Hardin Northern (4-8) Saturday, Jan. 14. Marion Elgin edged HN Friday night, 48-47.
