By Cort Reynolds
NORTH BALTIMORE__The visiting Ada High School girls basketball team defeated North Baltimore 44-38 in the opener of a girls/boys varsity doubleheader Saturday night, February 3.
After a slow start, the Bulldogs girls surged ahead 10-7 by the end of the first period. The Bulldogs took the lead midway through the opening stanza and never relinquished it.
Ada stretched its advantage to 28-16 at halftime as senior guard Olivia Burkhart poured in 10 second stanza points. She canned a trifecta, a deuce and five foul shots in the big quarter.
Sophomore post Anna Conley also tallied six of her eight markers in the key second period.
Ada led 39-27 after three quarters. The Tigers put on a late run but it was too little, too late.
The Bulldog girls controlled play and led by 10 or more points most of the game. NB rallied at the very end to cut the final margin to six points after an Aubrey Cotterman triple, and another trey by Kaylee Allison with under 10 seconds remaining.
But Ada held on to post the deceptively close six-point win.
Ada improved to 8-11 with the non-conference victory. Meanwhile, NB dropped to 1-17 after the defeat.
“The girls played hard and executed the game plan,” said Lady Bulldog head coach Zach Ricker.
Senior Mariah King added eight points for Ada, while junior guard Lexi Poling tallied seven markers.
Sophomore point guard Allison hit four triples and led NB with 16 points. Cotterman added seven points.
The Lady Bulldogs connected on 11 two-point baskets, and sank three treys.
Ada converted 13 of 19 free throws (68 percent), while NB canned six of its 10 charity stripe attempts (60 percent).
The Tiger girls connected on twice as many triples as two-point goals. NB canned eight trifectas, but sank just four deuces.
Ada hosts non-league Bellefontaine foe Calvary Christian Tuesday, February 6. Much-improved CC is 14-2 overall and 9-1 in the Ohio Valley Christian league standings.
The Spartan girls recently defeated Upper Scioto Valley 48-42 January 25 to cap a 12-game win streak. They also beat Ridgemont 44-39, and lost to NWCC second-place team Ridgedale 58-38 back on December 5.
Ada (0-6 NWC) then entertains Leipsic (8-10, 1-6 NWC) Thursday, Feb. 8. The Viking girls lost to league power Delphos Jefferson (15-3, 5-1 NWC) by a 60-37 count this past Thursday.
Ada 44 (8-11)
Burkhart 4 9-12 19, King 2 4-6 8, L. Poling 3 0-0 7, K. Poling 1 0-0 2, A. Andreasen 0 0-0 0, B. Andreasen DNP, Sizemore 0 0-0 0, Conley 4 0-0 8.
Totals: 11-3/13-19/44. 3-pointers: Burkhart 2, L. Poling 1.
NB 38 (1-17)
Cotterman 2 1-1 7, Allison 4 4-7 16, Greeno 2 0-0 5, Ducat 2 0-0 4, Paynter 1 0-0 3, Dewitt 1 1-1 3.
Totals: 4-8/6-10/38. 3-pointers: Allison 4, Paynter 1, Cotterman 2, Greeno 1
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 10 18 11 5 44
NB 7 9 11 11 38
