By Cort Reynolds
HARROD - Mustang senior Spencer Miller scored 26 of his 43 points in the second half to lead host Allen East to a second half comeback win over local rival Ada 72-65 in a Northwest Conference boys basketball shootout Friday night.
The Bulldogs fell to 3-12 and 0-5 in the NWC with the tough loss, while the Mustangs improved to 8-6 and 1-3 in the NWC with their first league victory.
Ada led 57-48 early in the fourth period when Miller led a game-changing 22-2 spurt. Mustang senior Caleb Smelcer reeled off eight points in a row to give AE its first lead since early in the game at 58-57 with 4:35 remaining.
Miller then scored on a scoop shot and a drive to lengthen the lead to 62-57 before Bulldog junior Ethan Swaney ended the decisive 14-0 run with a driving basket.
However, Swaney fouled out on the next play and Miller converted two foul shots for a 64-59 edge with 2:45 to go. Ada missed two free throws and Miller cashed in six of eight over the next few minutes.
When the dust cleared Miller had scored 12 points in a row to build the lead to 70-59. Ada senior Owen Conley hit a foul shot and sophomore Connor Frazier scored on a turnaround shot to cut the deficit to eight.
Mason Klingler stole the ball and Conley buried a long trey to keep Ada alive, down 70-65 with 16 ticks to go. But Mustang Braden Newland netted a layin with five seconds remaining after AE broke defensive pressure to clinch the verdict.
The Bulldogs led 24-22 after a high-scoring opening quarter that featured a combined total of eight three-point goals. Smelcer canned two early trifectas, which were offset by three's from Conley and Swaney.
Jordan Bailey's triple gave the visitors a 9-8 lead, but Miller answered with a long three to give AE a slight edge. Frazier scored inside and Conley converted a conventional three-point play for a 14-11 lead, and Ada would hold the lead until midway through the fourth.
Two inside baskets by Conley and a wing trey from Bailey gave Ada a 21-13 cushion. Four Miller foul shots and a putback by Kain Foster pulled AE within 22-19. Conley scored on a backdoor cut but Mustang Johnny Brinkman banked in a trey at the buzzer to bring the wild first stanza to a close.
A pull-up trey by Swaney continued the barrage early in the second period. Miller canned a driving layin, yet Conley tallied off another back cut and Frazier netted a hook. Miller and Frazier traded baskets before Seth Evans drained a corner trey for a 39-34 Ada lead.
Frazier scored inside again and Conley netted another backdoor layin for his 16th point off an Evans dish for a 43-34 margin with 1:11 left in the half. Miller converted a drive with 10 ticks to go to edge AE within 43-36 at intermission.
Five quick Frazier points and a Swaney trifecta gave the Bulldogs their largest lead of the night at 51-38 early in the third quarter. But then the determined Miller, the AE quarterback who injured his shoulder in the rivalry football game with Ada this past fall, took over.
He hit a long deuce, then scored off an in-bounds pass. Next, Miller stole the ball and coasted in for a layup to inch within 51-44. The senior then hit a lane shot and scored on a putback to cap his personal 10-0 spurt.
Frazier scored just before the buzzer to end the Miller onslaught and give Ada a 53-48 edge heading to the final period. Miller scored all 12 Mustang points in the third.
Swaney splashed a triple and Frazier hit a foul shot to give Ada a 57-48 lead with seven minutes remaining. But then Miller sank a stickback to start the decisive 22-2 flurry.
The speedy Smelcer netted consecutive layins off Miller feeds as the Bulldog defense focused on the red-hot Mustang. Smelcer then scored in transition and added another basket to give AE the lead for good, 58-57.
Miller then reeled off the next dozen AE points to beat the Bulldogs and complete his career night.
Mustang pressure defense helped change the game in the second half by forcing several Ada turnovers that allowed the hosts to outscore the Bulldogs 34-14 over the final 14 minutes.
Smelcer contributed 16 points as he and Miller combined to tally 59 of the 72 AE total. Conley topped Ada with 20 points, while Frazier contributed a career-high 18 along with three blocked shots. Swaney added 14 markers.
AE outscored Ada 36-22 after intermisison. The Bulldogs made just three of 11 from the foul line in the second half after a red-hot shooting first half that saw them score 43.
Interestingly, the Mustangs did not make a three in the second half as they made 14 two-point goals and eight foul shots.
Ada is now 1-7 on the road this season, while AE improved to 4-3 at home.
Ada 65 (3-12, 0-5 NWC) Mullins 0 0-2 0, Swaney 5 0-0 14, Bailey 3 0-2 9, Evans 1 0-0 3, Conrad 0, Conley 7 3-5 20, Hoschak 0, Frazier 8 2-4 18, Klingler 0. 3-pointers: Bailey 3, Swaney 3, Conley 3, Evans 1.
AE 72 (8-6, 1-3 NWC) Miller 15 12-14 43, Smelcer 7 0-2 16, Foster 1 0-0 2, Brinkman 1 0-0 3, Newland 2 0-0 4, Gibson . 3-pointers: Smelcer 2, Brinkman 1, Miller 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 24 19 10 12 65
AE 22 14 12 24 72
Ada (2-5 home) hosts county rival Kenton (8-6) Saturday night. The Wildcats lost 87-77 at home to WBL foe Shawnee Friday. The Bulldogs have lost eight of their last nine.
