The Division IV field for the boys basketball state tournament is probably not what most expected but the story lines run far and deep. The line up includes a team that has ended an 86-year tournament drought, a first-time qualifier, an Ohio coaching legend with a state title and another state champion (insert asterisk here). All told, the stage is set for some exciting small-school basketball.
The Division IV field for the 87th Annual State Boys Basketball Tournament is probably not what most expected coming into the season but the story lines run far and deep.
The line up includes a team that has ended an 86-year tournament drought, a first-time qualifier, an Ohio coaching legend with a state title under his belt and another state champion (insert asterisk here).
All told, the stage is set for some exciting small-school basketball.
Long Time Coming
Talk about droughts.
The last time Ada qualified for the basketball state tournament, the car was a ground-breaking invention and Warren G. Harding was the President.
For the first time since 1923, the Bulldogs will be competing for a state championship.
"We’re real excited to (reach the state tournament) and it is a tremendous accomplishment for this group of boys," head coach Chris Sautter said. "The school and everybody are real excited."
Slow Start
Unranked Ada (22-3) started off the season 5-1 before reeling off 17 straight wins to reach the Final Four.
"I think it has all started at the defensive end for us," Sautter explained. "If you can get kids to buy into that end of the floor it takes a lot of teamwork and sacrifice at that end of the floor."
Ada set a school record for allowing just 42 points per game undercutting the previous 45-point mark.
"Once we decided what we were going to do defensively and focused on man-to-man, the kids really started to come together as a team," the seventh-year head coach said. "The teamwork has been outstanding the second half of the season."
Getting Over The Hump
Ada qualified for the district tournament each of the last six years but failed to reach the regional tournament.
The Bulldogs defeated defending state champion New Knoxville snapping the Rangers 49-game winning streak in the district final this season to take the next step.
"That confidence has really carried us," Sautter said of the landmark postseason win.
When Ada Has The Ball
The Bulldogs go eight deep off the bench with each player standing in over 6-foot-0 tall.
"Our kids have a lot of different capabilities and can do a lot of different things. We don’t have any one guy that stands out but we have four to five guys that could score 20 points on any given night," said Sautter.
Point guard Kyle Baker is a four-year starter and scores eight points per game.
"He does a not job of getting us into our sets. He has the ability to put the ball on the floor and take it to the hole," said Sautter. "He’s been the guy that makes us go on the offensive end."
Junior forward Mitchell Faine has also played since his freshman year and is the starting quarterback on the football team. He is good for 12.4 points per contest.
"He brings a lot of things to the table like we expect all of our guys to. He is a difficult match up for some teams because of his ability to play inside and out," Sautter said.
Senior center Aaron Cross is a two-year starter and gives Ada a 6-foot-6 presence in the paint but can also step out and shoot the jump shot. He accounts for 11 points per game.
"(Cross) is our leading three-point shooter but is able to get a lot of offensive rebounds and finish around the basket," said Sautter.
Cross also plays on the gridiron but missed most of the 2008 season after breaking his collar bone in four places. But Sautter said he is back to 100 percent.
Freshman guard Konnor Baker – younger brother to Kyle – adds 11.7 points per game and senior forward Brandon Dysert accounts for eight points per game.
