By Cort Reynolds
Visiting league-leader Spencerville defeated the Ada High School boys basketball team 71-35 in a Northwest Conference mismatch Friday night, February 10.
The first-place Bearcats raced to a 17-4 lead and were never threatened, leading by 31 at halftime.
A 28-10 Spencerville second quarter put the game out of reach by intermission.
Ada fell to 7-12 overall and 0-7 in the NWC after the loss. The Bearcats improved to 17-2 and 7-0 in the NWC with the decisive win.
"We knew they would run and jump on defense, but we didn't handle their pressure well," said second-year Ada head coach Vince Halliday. "Spencerville is pretty darn good.
"Early on, we tried to slow the pace," he continued. "But we missed several close shots and they scored easily in transition. Their intensity then went up and our heads got down."
Ada made its first basket on a Jayden Bankston layup with 2:25 left in the first period to cut the deficit to 9-4. The Bearcats ran off 13 unanswered points to build a 22-4 cushion early in the second stanza.
Bulldog senior Carter Conley stopped the run by sinking two free throws. Bankston made another layup off a nice feed from senior guard Spencer Wall to make it 27-7 with 6:17 left in the half.
A left wing triple by Josh Henline capped a 10-0 Bearcat spurt. Wall sank a layup for a 37-9 score. Bankston canned two foul shots, and senior Casen Jones splashed a right wing trey to cut the deficit to 43-14.
Spencerville freshman guard Owen Sensabaugh sank a basket to put the visitors ahead by 31 at intermission.
Henline drained a corner trey to open the second half, then fed Carter Sudhoff nicely for two more points. Sudhoff sank a reverse layup off the baseline. Conley drilled a left wing trey for Ada.
Bulldog senior Ethan Murphy splashed a triple, followed by an Evan Osting left wing trey. Ada guard Jaden Leal stole the ball and made a driving layup in transition.
Bulldog Grant Preston buried a trey from out top. Yet Sensabaugh banked in a nice runner just before the third period buzzer to make it 62-27.
Sensabuagh hit a three and two foul shots early in the final stanza before subbing out.
Ada senior Jacob Sutherly splashed a trifecta. Bulldog Brody Erickson stole the ball and drove for a left-handed layin. Senior post Gage Hoffer sank a putback three-point play to close the Ada scoring.
Sixth man Bankston topped Ada with six points off the bench.
Sensabaugh led the Bearcats with 17 points. Josh Henline netted 13 markers, and Ecan Osting added 10. Sudhoff chipped in with nine points.
Ada canned six two-pointers and five triples. The Bulldogs made eight of 11 from the charity stripe (73 percent).
Spencerville sank 19 deuces and seven treys. The Bearcats converted 12 of 15 at the charity stripe (80 percent).
The Bulldog reserves also lost, 51-35. Zack Zimmerman led Ada with 12 points, while Erickson added nine.
Ada 35 (7-12, 0-7 NWC)
Bankston 2 2-2 6, Wall 1 1-2 3, Sutherly 1 0-0 3, Conley 1 2-4 5, Leal 1 2-2 4, Murphy 1 0-0 3, Preston 1 0-0 3, Jones 1 0-0 3, Hoffer 1 1-1 3, Gossard 0 0-0 0, Erickson 1 0-0 2, Blankenship 0 0-0 0.
Totals: 6-5/8-11/35. 3-pointers: Sutherly 1, Murphy 1, Conley 1, Jones 1, Preston 1 .
S'ville 71 (17-2, 7-0 NWC)
Sensabaugh 6 2-2 17, Henline 4 2-2 13, Osting 3 3-3 10, D. Smith 3 0-0 6, Sudhoff 4 1-2 9, Orr 1 2-4 4, Cook 1 0-0 2, Br. Sommers 2 0-0 4, Bl. Sommers 1 0-0 2, Woods 0 2-2 2, G. Smith 1 0-0 2.
Totals: 19-7/12-15/71. 3-pointers: Henline 3, Sensabuagh 3, Osting 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 4 10 13 8 35
Svl 17 28 17 9 71
JV: S'ville 51, Ada 35.
The Bulldogs host Lima Temple Christian (9-11) in a non-league game Saturday night. "It won't be easy," said Halliday. LTC lost 58-51 to Elgin Friday night.
