Photos and rosters below
By Cort Reynolds
The Ada High School girls basketball team returns six letter winners and four senior starters for second-year varsity head coach Zack Ricker in 2023-24.
The Bulldogs almost authored their first winning season since 2015-16 last year behind graduated all-time scoring leader Courtney Sumner.
Ada posted an 11-12 record last season and an 0-8 Northwest Conference mark despite playing several close league games. Sumner broke the career points mark late in her final game, a tough sectional final loss to New Bremen.
The Bulldog girls will have to collectively replace her output this season.
A total of 12 players comprise the girls high school roster, with the junior varsity squad playing two-quarter games.
"We will play a bigger lineup this year as opposed to last season when we played three guards," said Ricker. "We will be more physical and better balanced.
"We are focusing on what we can do and trying to build on last year," he offered. “The girls have gone through one year with me; our top six girls played minutes last year.
“So the transition is easier, but we are focused on one day at a time.”
Athletic 5-4 senior guard Olivia Burkhart returns as the primary ball handler and top scorer. "We need a more balanced attack to take the pressure off Olivia,” the coach noted.
Burkhart is a good shooter and unselfish passer. She jumps well and is quick, and will be the number one scoring option this season.
Burkhart was an honorable mention all-league selection in 2022. Her trademark shot is a one-footed pull-up in the lane.
"We are expecting a lot from Olivia; we need her to step up and score more," Ricker noted.
“We expect her to be more assertive, we have no other options (as the top scorer). So I have told her she has the green light to shoot and let it fly,” he said. “She is capable.”
Aggressive and scrappy senior post Katie Sizemore returns to the starting lineup. She excels at hustle plays and dirty work inside, and increased her offensive output as last season went along.
“She is a physical player and has improved her shot from 10-12 feet when she is squared up,” said Ricker. “Her offensive confidence has improved.”
Willowy senior southpaw wing Mariah King also returns after starting part-time last season. She has good height, length and speed with a high motor.
She is a hard driver and is well-conditioned, and can score in transition as well as around the basket. She also hits the offensive boards fairly well.
“She will have a lot bigger role this year,” said Ricker. “She drives to her left well. We are trying to use her athleticism and length on the wing defensively.”
Senior post Autumn Andreasen started most of last season after missing the two previous seasons recovering from a knee injury. “She is a physical player and has definitely improved confidence-wise,” said Ricker.
“Autumn will play the post but also some wing. She does everything at a high level with 110 percent intensity. Autumn pushes other players to the next level,” he added.
Junior guard Lexi Poling also returns to a starting backcourt role and will get increased shot opportunities. A streaky perimeter shooter, she set the program record by hitting seven triples in a home win over Vanlue last season.
“We are putting a lot of responsibility on her to make an impact besides just spot-up shooting,” said the coach.
Sophomore post Anna Conley is the team’s tallest player at 6-0, and was a key reserve last season. “Anna is a huge X factor for us this year,” said Ricker.
“We are really counting on her size and length to help her step up and take a bigger role,” he noted. “Her confidence is better, and she has improved her post moves. Anna moves well for her size.
“She understands how much we need her, and we will rely on her a lot,” he added.
Four freshmen are expected to add quality depth and play key roles off the bench.
Brooklyn Andreasen is a promising 5-9 post “with a lot of potential,” said Ricker. “She plays physical and will push the other posts to get better. She has offensive skills down low.”
Brooklyn has a solid post game and a good bank shot from close range. She has a nose for scoring inside, something Ada has lacked in recent years.
Quick freshman guard Kenley Poling is a shooter who will fill in some key minutes. “We want to put her in a position to be successful,” said the coach. We want her to take care of the ball and do the job defensively.”
Ricker said the same thing is expected of frosh guard Jaylin St. Laurent. “She will give us backup minutes, and we want her to play defense and not turn the ball over,” he added.
St. Laurent has pretty good shooting form and a nice release on her shot.
“We are pretty young with two freshmen backing up our guards,” Ricker noted.
Sophomore guard Ashley Hevlin saw some varsity action last year and will again play mostly JV.
Freshman wing Taylor Price rounds out the freshman newcomers, and will play mostly JV. Sophomore guard Abbey Johnston rounds out the roster.
The NWC race looks to be tough again this year. Last season, all nine teams finished the regular season at least .500 overall, and many of the top players in the league return.
Sumner was a second team all-league pick in 2023.
Two-time defending league champion Delphos Jefferson (8-0) returns Co-NWC Player of the Year Lyv Lindeman. Co-POY scoring ace Cali Gregory of Crestview also returns from a third-place 6-2 Crestview squad.
Leipsic was 7-1 last season and finished second, but lost some key players to graduation, Ricker noted.
Talented Allen East was 17-7 overall and 4-4 in the tough NWC. They return perhaps the league’s top tandem in all-around senior standout Savana Brooks and speedy junior guard Rilynn Jones.
"The two top players in the league are back, and Allen East has its top two back," Ricker said. "We have to figure out how to compete in the league, the NWC is very good in girls basketball.
"We are focusing on one day, one game at a time to build confidence,” he continued. “We want to be able to compete night in, night out, and win close games.”
Ada has finished in the bottom two of the league standings in each of the past seven seasons.
"We want to build off last year and try to get to the win total we had last year (11)," Ricker said regarding team goals. "The big question is how do we score offensively; this year it will be more by committee,” he noted.
"We have more height and size, and are much more physical than last year," Ricker said of the team's strengths. "We will set some more ball screens on offense. Our offense is similar to last year, but we are just bigger.
"We need to score better in the halfcourt offense," he admitted. "Liv is the leader, but we need at last two to three others to step up. We need our young girls to grow."
He said the team will likely utilize a three-quarter court press more this season, and mix up zone and man defenses in halfcourt sets. With the long-armed and agile King at the top of the press, this could be an effective defense for Ada to generate transition points off turnovers.
Former Bulldog guard Kyle Poling and JV mentor Meagan Zoladz return as assistant coaches. Ada will play two-quarter reserve games.
Ada tips off its campaign at non-league foe McComb November 24. The Bulldogs then host Cory-Rawson Nov. 28 in the home opener, and entertained traditional rival USV Nov. 30.
The Bulldogs visit Lincolnview in the league opener December 7. Just prior to that lidlifter, Ada also visits county foe Hardin Northern Dec. 5.
The Ada varsity girls basketball team, left to right, front row: Lexi Poling, Jaylin St. Laurent, Kenley Poling, Abbey Johnston, Taylor Price. Row 2: Autumn Andreasen, Katie Sizemore, Olivia Burkhart, Mariah King. Back: Assistant coach Kyle Poling, Ashley Hevlin, Anna Conley, Brooklyn Andreasen, Head coach Zack Ricker. Not pictured: Assistant coach Meagan Zoladz.
Returning letter winners, left to right, seated: seniors Autumn Andreasen, Katie Sizemore, Olivia Burkhart, Mariah King. Standing: Lexi Poling, Anna Conley.
