By Cort Reynolds
VANLUE__On February 24, the Ada High School boys basketball team dominated the middle periods to defeat winless Vanlue 61-46 in a non-league game and finish the regular season on a positive note.
The Bulldogs trailed 14-9 after the first period. But a 15-5 second stanza turned things around and gave Ada a 24-19 lead at halftime.
The purple and gold then seized control with a 21-11 third quarter run to build a 45-30 cushion heading to the final quarter.
The Bulldogs won the decisive middle quarters by a combined score of 36-16.
Ada ended its regular season 5-17 after the road victory, and won two of its last three games heading to the tournament.
The Wildcats dropped to 0-21 with the defeat.
“We had a slow start, but a big third quarter was enough,” said Bulldog third-year head coach Vince Halliday. “The regular season is a wrap.”
Ada sophomore Zach Zimmerman scored 16 points to lead a balanced Bulldog offensive attack.
Freshman playmaker Kolton Dysert tallied 13 points with two treys and five boards. Freshman Carson Conley contributed 10 markers and six rebounds, while sophomore Kayleb Hickman added nine points.
Junior Levi Green chipped in with four points and seven caroms.
Vanlue sophomore Owen Roszman scored a game-high 26 points. But no other Wildcat tallied more than seven markers.
Ada sank 15 two-point goals and knocked down six triples. The Bulldogs canned 13 of 30 charity stripe attempts (43 percent).
Vanlue connected on 11 deuces, and they sank three treys. The Wildcats made 15 of 22 free throws (68 percent).
The Ada junior varsity won big 55-12 to finish up 10-11.
Ada plays at top seed Lima Central Catholic (20-2) in Div. IV sectional first round action Wednesday, Feb. 28.
The Thunderbirds have 10 in a row since a two-game losing skid in mid-season to Delphos St. John’s (58-53) and Spencerville (54-52).
Ada 61 (5-17)
Oldfield 0 0-0 0, Zimmerman 7 1-3 16, Hickman 3 2-2 9, Dysert 5 1-2 13, Green 0 4-6 4, Blankenship 1 2-4 4, Gossard 1 1-6 3, House 1 0-2 2, Conley 3 2-5 10, Lawrence 0 0-0 0.
Totals: 15-6/13-30/61. 3-pointers: Dysert 2, Conley 2, Zimmerman 1, Hickman 1.
Vanlue 46 (0-21)
King 2 2-2 6, Saltzman 3 0-0 7, Reed 0 1-2 1, Roszman 7 10-12 26, Izaniecki 1 1-2 3, Wallen 1 1-4 3.
Totals: 11-3/15-22/46. 3-pointers: Rozman 2, Saltzman 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 9 15 21 16 61
Vlue 14 5 11 16 46
JV: Ada 55, Vanlue 12.
