By Cort Reynolds
DOLA__The Ada High School girls basketball team used a big second quarter run to methodically defeat county rival Hardin Northern 42-28 Tuesday night, December 5.
The game was tied after the first period, but the Bulldogs fashioned a 15-0 run to open the second stanza and take control of the game.
Ada never trailed again and went on to win their third consecutive contest to improve to 3-1 overall. HN fell to 0-2 with the defeat.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| ADA | 9 | 15 | 11 | 7 | 42 |
| HN | 9 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 28 |
Bulldog senior southpaw Mariah King led all scorers with a season-high 12 points.
Classmate Autumn Andreasen also returned from a two-game absence and netted a season-best 10 points. Senior point guard Olivia Burkhart tallied nine markers, while junior guard Lexi Poling added seven.
Catherine Overs topped HN with seven points. Jenna Legge scored six points on two fourth period triples.
“We started out flat and we went to a zone in the second quarter, which made a difference defensively,” said Ada head coach Zach Ricker.
“Our last few games we have played really well in the second quarter,” he added.
Ada outscored HN 33-19 over the final three periods. The Polar Bears made just 22 percent of their shots in the Hardin County rivalry contest.
"We had good looks, but we just couldn't hit them,” said veteran HN head coach Brady Mast. “I thought we got off to a good start, and part of it was our defense.”
King started the game by banking in a hook, and Burkhart hit two foul shots with 21 seconds left in the opening stanza to tie it 9-9.
King then ignited the decisive 15-0 flurry by scoring the first five points of the second period.
“Mariah has given us a lot so far this year,” said Ricker. “Given us some buckets, being aggressive. When she has the path she's athletic, quick and she can get to the rim.”
Two Burkhart foul shots and a basket by Katie Sizemore extended the lead to 18-9. Two buckets by Andreasen and another hoop by King off a spin move capped the big run at 24-9.
Overs finally ended the HN drought by sinking a basket with 2:20 left in the half. Makenna Eibling canned a stickback, and Alaina Thomas canned a driving shot to end the quarter on a 6-0 spurt to pull within nine at intermission.
Northern inched within 26-20 early in the second half before Lexi Poling scored off a steal.
The purple and gold responded with a 9-2 run to end the quarter and take back control.
Andreasen made a basket, then executed a nice give-and-go with Anna Conley for another field goal. The speedy Burkhart netted a layin to propel Ada to a 35-22 lead and provide some breathing room heading to the fourth period.
“When Olivia has the ball in the open floor, that's where she's (at her) best,” said Ricker.
Legge splashed a pair of trifectas to slice the Ada lead to 10 at two different junctures in the final stanza. But Bulldog seniors King and Adreasen scored the last four points to win by 14.
“We went cold and they hit a few shots,” Mast noted. “We fought our way back into it, but we just couldn't get back close enough."
Ada won the last quarter 7-6 as Legge scored all six Northern points. Legge led HN with seven rebounds, while Overs grabbed five caroms. Heidi Trachsel added five points and five boards.
The Bulldogs hit on 17 of their 35 two-point tries (49 percent), and missed their lone three-point attempt. Ada converted just eight of 20 free throws (40 percent).
Cold-shooting HN hit on just 10 of 36 two-point field goal tries (28 percent). The Bears canned two of 17 beyond the arc (12 percent). HN made just two of five charity stripers (40 percent).
Ada 42 (3-1)
Burkhart 2 5-10 9, King 5 2-6 12, L. Poling 3 1-2 7, K. Poling 0, A. Andreasen 5 0-2 10, Sizemore 1 0-0 2, Conley 1 0-0 2.
Totals: 17-36/8-20/42. 3-pointers (0-1) : none.
HN (1-2)
Thomas 2 0-2 4, Woodruff 0, Legge 2 0-0 6, Eibling 2 0-0 4, Trachsel 2 1-4 5, Overs 3 1-1 7, Minter 1 0-0 2.
Totals: 12-53/2-5/28. 3-pointers (2-17): Legge 2.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 9 15 11 7 42
HN 9 6 7 6 28
No JV game.
Ada (1-1 road) plays its final Northwest Conference opener at Lincolnview (1-1) Thursday, December 7.
HN opens NWCC play Thursday at home vs. North Baltimore (1-2).
