RANDY HISNER
WZBD.com
Ava Stafford hit a school-record seven three-pointers on her way to a career-high 30 points to lead Adams Central to a 55-39 ACAC win over county rival South Adams Saturday at the Hangar.
The Jets (2-9, 1-3 in the ACAC) opened the game with an 11-0 run. Kate Fisher got things started with a three-pointer from the left wing at the 6:15 mark. Stafford followed with a drive from the right side and then an old-fashioned three-point play. Tenley Hendricks capped the rally with a three from the top of the key.
Freshman Ana Lehman finally got South Adams (3-8, 1-2) on the board with a three-pointer. Stafford countered with eight straight points in a little over a minute, including her first two three-pointers, to make it 19-3 with 2:14 to go. Laney Trausch hit a free throw for South Adams, but the Jets’ Ellie Ogg came right back with a three from the right wing, giving the Jets a commanding 22-4 lead at the first stop.
The Jets hit five of six three-point attempts for the quarter, stunning the Starfires with their long-range attack. “They got off to an incredibly hot start from outside,” said South Adams coach Brett Freeman. “They got in that mode where once one went in everybody thought, ‘Well, shoot, why can’t I do that?’ And they did.”
The Adams Central defense was as impressive as the offense in the first period, making the Starfires turn the ball over nine times.
The Jets outscored the Starfires 15-9 in the second quarter, Stafford adding two more threes and Fisher scoring five points on a three and baseline drive. Laney Trausch scored seven in the quarter for South Adams. Stafford had 19 at the half, and the Jets were up 37-13.
Things looked a lot different in the second half, with the Starfires winning the third quarter, 15-14, and the fourth quarter, 11-4. “The second half we came out and played much more like what we’ve been accustomed to,” Freeman said. “Our effort level picked up, our movement on offense picked up, and we were able to get some buckets to drop.”
“We’re not really used to being up that big,” Adams Central coach Rob Earl admitted, “so when the second half came, we got a little comfortable. I told them we have to learn how to put a game away.”
He loved what he saw from Stafford. “She deserved that because she’s always putting in extra work,” he praised. “She wants to get better, and her work ethic is great, so I’m happy for her that she got it (the record), and the thing is, she wasn’t selfish getting it. She still moved the ball around, she was rebounding, playing defense—that’s a complete player to me.”
Stafford was a model of efficiency, hitting 7-of-12 threes and 4-of-8 twos, along with making her only free throw. The old Adams Central record for three-pointers in a game was six, by McKenna Dietsch.
Fisher had 13 for the Jets. Ogg added five, Hendricks three. Izzy Isch and Cali Dalrymple each scored two.
Trausch led South Adams with 14. Lehman had 13, Lucy Schwartz eight (including 6-of-8 free throws), Shaylee Sprunger three, and Charlee Bollenbacher one.
Both teams struggled taking care of the ball, the Starfires coughing it up 34 times, the Jets 20.
Adams Central was 10-for-25 (40%) on twos, 11-for-26 (42%) on threes, and 2-for-5 (40%) on free throws. South Adams was 9-for-32 (28%), 2-for-6 (33%) on threes, and 15-for 24 (63%) on free throws.
Adams Central won the JV game, 42-38. Demi Landis led the Jets with 21 points. Cali Dalrymple had 17. Lucy Schwartz scored 14 for South Adams.
Adams Central will host Bluffton next Saturday at 1:30 P.M. South Adams will travel to Monroe Central Monday night. Game time is 7:30.
Other Local Scores
Friday
Bellmont 53 East Noble 29
-The Braves held East Noble scoreless in the opening quarter and Ashley Bleke led all scorers with 17 points, knocking down seven shots. East Noble had just nine made buckets as a team in the game. Kate Kitson had ten points, while Emily Bleke scored nine.
Jay County 53 Adams Central 50, OT
Southern Wells 55 Heritage 19
-Collena Reeves led the Raiders with eleven points, including three shots from behind the arc as Southern Wells took advantage of an injury to Danica Fuller in the first quarter to widen their lead and put away the Patriots early.
Fuller did not return to the game, leaving the offense to Audria Bickel, who finished with nine points.
Bluffton 66 Woodlan 43
Columbia City 74 Norwell 67
DeKalb 57 Leo 39
Huntington North 70 New Haven 21
Eastside 70 Prairie Heights 18
Carroll (FW) 75 Concordia Lutheran 61
FW North Side 55 FW South Side 42
FW Northrop 67 Bishop Luers 29
FW Snider 57 FW Wayne 36
Homestead 76 Bishop Dwenger 34
Saturday Scores
Angola 64 Concordia Lutheran 50
Carmel 55 FW Snider 52, OT
DeKalb 43 Garrett 28
Huntington North 76 Marion 40
Richmond 57 FW South Side 33
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