By Cort Reynolds
The visiting Allen East team put in a big second half, outpacing the Ada High School girls basketball team 66-28 in a hard-fought Northwest Conference contest Thursday night, January 5.
It was the second meeting between the two local foes in eight days. Despite the point disparity, the rematch was mostly competitive as Ada came out and played with improved intensity and tenacity.
But the deeper Mustang girls poured it on in the final 18 minutes. They took the second half 38-11 after leading by just five late in the second quarter, to win going away.
AE improved to 10-3 overall and 2-1 in the NWC with the win. Ada fell to 6-7 overall and 0-4 in league action with the defeat.
"When we got to the end of the third quarter we were gassed," said Ada head coach Zach Ricker. "We executed well. Those first 2.5 to three quarters was the best we have executed defensively this year.
"The girls did everything we asked of them," he continued. "Our focus was to take away the Brooks and Jones girls, and take away the paint/drive from everybody else.
"But then (Elle) Richardson just started going off and made shots. We give up size at every position, and they are athletic," he added.
AE senior wing Elle Richardson poured in 11 of her season-high 22 points in the fourth period to put the game out of reach.
"Elle was the no-brainer player of the game," said Mustang head coach Aaron Montgomery. "As usual, Aubrey Young did a fantastic job guarding the other team's best player.
"I was glad we were able to play so hard on back-to-back nights," he continued. "The girls are fighters."
Mustang senior Kennedy Truex nailed a 10-footer to open the scoring 1:46 into the fray.
Ada junior Autumn Andreasen knotted it up on a short bank shot, and classmate Olivia Burkhart put the hosts ahead by canning her trademark runner.
Mustang junior Savana Brooks drilled a triple from out top, followed by another Andreasen layin off a nice Courtney Sumner bounce pass.
AE then ran off eight unanswered points. Richardson started the run with a 12-footer off a nice Rilynn Jones pass.
Sophomore playmaker Jones assisted Brooks on a layup, followed by two Jones free throws. Richardson capped the flurry at 13-6 by hitting two foul shots.
Sumner drained a tough step-back triple from the right side. Yet Mustang reserve Ella Miller matched her trey to end the first period with AE ahead, 16-9.
Truex sank a bank shot to start the second stanza. Sumner made a driving scoop shot at the seven-minute mark, followed by an 11-footer by Katie Sizemore 20 seconds later.
Richardson buried a left baseline 17-footer and Sumner brought Ada within 20-15 on a pair of charity stripers. The Mustangs then authored another key 8-0 run to seize control as Ada went cold.
Truex nailed a left wing trey to ignite the spurt. At the 1:45 juncture, Richardson buried a top of the key trifecta to increase the lead to 11.
Junior guard Aubrey Young then fired in an open 17-foot set shot from the left wing to provide a 28-15 margin with 44 seconds left in the half.
Sizemore rolled in an eight-footer off the left baseline to pull Ada within 11 at the end of the half.
Jones bounced in a pretty left-handed drive early in half two. Brooks sank four straight foul shots. Burkhart banked in a one-footed runner while driving left to keep Ada within 34-19.
Brooks stole the ball and fed Jones for a layup. Sumner drove the lane and banked in a nice one-hander. Burkhart made a fine steal, and Sumner split two foul shots.
AE defensive ace Young knocked down an open 17-footer, and Andreasen swished two foul shots. A Richardson 13-footer rolled around the rim and in for a 40-24 margin with 11 seconds left in the quarter.
After a Mustang steal, Jones then drove the lane and banked in a hanging double-pump left-hander at the buzzer to build the lead to 18.
"That kid made a heck of a shot," said Montgomery.
Richardson rattled in a 19-footer to open the fourth period on a personal 9-0 run. She then nailed another outside shot. The senior wing then added a free throw and two more baskets in short order to balloon the margin to 51-24 with 5:05 remaining.
Jones converted a pretty left baseline drive. She then dished off nicely to sophomore post Taylor Nickles for a layin. Burkhart answered with a layup off a Sizemore dish to make it 55-26.
Richardson buried a left baseline 15-footer to finish her big quarter of scoring. Miller scored inside, and Burkhart canned two foul shots. But Nickles banked in two consecutive short putbacks.
Avery Kessen splashed a right side triple with a minute remaining to provide the final margin. The score was not indicative of how competitive the game was for most of the first three quarters.
The Mustangs won the final period 24-4 and scored 28 of the game's final 32 points. AE outscored Ada 46-13 after leading just 20-15 late in the second period.
Richardson added several steals to her season-high point total.
"When we are playing well, we call it an Elle run," said Montgomery. "She sparks us. She was fantastic in both halves.
"Rilynn controlled the tempo and was under control," he added.
Jones tallied 10 points plus several assists, and Brooks netted nine markers. Truex added seven.
Sumner led Ada with 10 points. Burkhart netted eight points, and Andreasen added six.
AE connected on 26 baskets, sinking 21 deuces and five treys. The Mustangs hit nine of 10 foul shots (90 percent).
Ada connected on 10 baskets, including nine deuces and one triple. The Bulldogs converted seven of eight at the charity stripe (86 percent).
The Mustang reserves also won the two-quarter JV game, 17-9. Miller led AE with 11 points, while Anna Conley topped the Ada reserves with eight markers.
AE 66 (10-3, 2-1 NWC)
Jordan 0, Truex 3 0-0 7, Brooks 2 4-4 9, Jones 4 2-2 10, Young 2 0-0 4, Kessen 1 0-0 3, D. Miller 0, E. Richardson 10 1-2 22, Zeller 0, Nickles 3 0-0 6, E. Miller 2 0-0 5.
Totals: 21-5/9-10/66. 3-pointers: Truex 1, Brooks 1, Richardson 1, Kessen 1, E. Miller 1.
Ada 28 (6-7, 0-4 NWC)
King 0 0-0 0, Sumner 3 3-4 10, Burkhart 3 2-2 8, Andreasen 2 2-2 6, Poling 0 0-0 0, Sizemore 2 0-0 4, Conley 0 0-0 0.
Totals: 9-1/7-8/28. 3-pointer: Sumner 1.
1 2 3 4 F
AE 16 12 14 24 66
Ada 9 8 7 4 28
JV: AE 17, Ada 9.
Ada (0-4 NWC] visits league-leading foe Delphos Jefferson (11-1, 3-0 NWC) Tuesday, January 12. "They are probably the top team in the league," said Ricker.
