By Cort Reynolds
The Ada High School boys basketball team defeated visiting Lima Temple Christian 51-48 in a tight non-conference game Saturday, February 11.
The game was close all the way, but Ada finished on a 6-3 run to break a tie in the final minutes and post a win.
The Bulldogs improved to 8-12 after the victory. The Pioneers dropped to 9-12 with the close loss.
"It wasn't pretty but it was a win," said second-year Ada head coach Vince Halliday. "That was the most balanced effort offensively we have had in a while."
LTC jumped to a 7-3 lead as junior post Dawson Clay scored two quick inside baskets. Bulldog senior Carter Conley tied it on a driving layup and by bouncing in a five-footer off the left baseline.
Spencer Wall gave Ada the lead on a driving layin. Ethan Murphy then faked a handoff and drove uncontested down the baseline for a layup.
Ada senior Jayden Bankston muscled in a short lane shot. But TC regained the lead after one quarter when Landon Callahan splashed a triple and two free throws, 14-13.
The Bulldogs went back in front when Conley sank two foul shots and Murphy powered in a layup to start the second stanza.
Ada guard Jaden Leal made a basket, but Callahan knotted it at 19-all by draining a long left wing triple. Murphy answered by drilling a trey from out top with 3:22 left in the half.
Pioneer senior Caleb Kiser sank a spinning drive, followed by another Callahan triple. Murphy split two charity stripers to edge Ada within 24-23 at intermission.
Jabaz Dupree and Bulldog Grant Preston traded baskets to open the second half. Murphy drained a triple to tie it 28-28. After another Callahan trey, Conley's driving layin edged Ada within 31-30.
Preston's trifecta gave the Bulldogs a 33-31 lead. Murphy swished a three from out top to extend the margin to 36-31 at the 4:30 mark.
Callahan drove coast to coast for a layup to pull TC within 36-34. Clay split two foul shots before Wall and Ashton Draper traded triples.
Ada led 39-38 heading to the final quarter. Preston splashed two foul shots, followed by a driving Wall bucket.
Callahan hit four straight free tosses to pull within 43-42. Murphy bounced in a driving left-hander, but Clay responded with a basket.
Callahan stole the ball, drove and split two free throws to tie it 45-45. Bankston penetrated the lane and made a bunny with 4:35 remaining to break the tie.
Conley blocked a short Clay hook, Bankston rebounded and sped coast to coast for a layup and a 49-45 Ada edge.
The Bulldogs ran off 90 seconds with a delay game.
Bankston missed the front end of a one and one, and Callahan sank a nice drive down the lane with 10.3 seconds left to pull Temple within a point.
Wall was fouled with 7.7 ticks left and splashed two crucial free throws to make it 51-48.
"Spencer made two clutch free throws," the coach observed.
Conley made a steal at halfcourt and was fouled with 2.7 seconds left. Ada had decided to foul before the Pioneers could get off a potential tying three, but didn't need to.
"We went to a 2-2-1 press and wanted to foul them at halfcourt," Halliday explained. "But we got a steal instead."
Conley missed the foul shot, but Bankston soared to snare the offensive rebound and dribbled out the clock.
Bulldog senior Murphy led Ada with 16 points. Preston tallied 10 markers, while Wall scored nine and Conley added eight.
Callahan led all players with 25 points and four triples. Clay added 11 markers.
"We wanted to do a good job on Callahan, he is a player," Halliday pointed out. "Grant had a good effort. Ethan obviously had a big night, he hit three three's and took a couple of charges."
Ada canned 13 two-pointers and six triples for 19 baskets. The Bulldogs made seven of 13 from the charity stripe (53 percent).
LTC sank 10 deuces and six treys. The Pioneers converted 10 of 15 at the charity stripe (67 percent).
The Bulldog reserves also won, 55-23. Zack Zimmerman led Ada with 13 points.
Ada 51 (8-12)
Bankston 3 0-3 6, Wall 3 2-3 9, Sutherly 0 0-0 0, Conley 3 2-3 8, Leal 1 0-0 2, Murphy 6 1-2 16, Preston 3 2-2 10, Jones 0 0-0 0.
Totals: 13-6/7-13/51. 3-pointers: Murphy 3, Preston 2, Wall 1.
LTC 48 (9-12)
Dupree 2 0-0 5, Draper 1 0-0 3, Callahan 7 7-8 25, Clay 4 3-6 11, Kiser 2 0-1 4, Wright 0 0-0 0.
Totals: 10-6/10-15/48. 3-pointers: Callahan 4, Dupree 1, Draper 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 13 10 16 12 51
LTC 14 10 14 10 48
JV: Ada 55, LTC 23.
The Bulldogs (0-7 NWC) visit Lincolnview (1-19, 0-6 NWC) in the Northwest Conference finale Friday, Feb. 17. "We really need to get a league win," said Halliday.
Ada then hosts Vanlue (7-12) in the home and regular season finale Saturday, Feb. 18, with a 1 p.m. JV tip-off.
