FINDLAY, Ohio (WLIO) — Liberty-Benton used a dominant second-half performance to pull away from Ada for a 52-21 victory Friday night in a Blanchard Valley Conference boys basketball matchup between two of the league’s top teams.

The Eagles, now 7-3 overall, broke the game open in the fourth quarter behind a sharp-shooting display from senior Brody Thomas.

Thomas connected on multiple 3-pointers during the period, helping Liberty-Benton build a commanding 34-17 lead.

He continued to find the range as the Eagles maintained a double-digit advantage, repeatedly answering any momentum Ada tried to generate.

Ada, which entered the game 8-3, looked to close the gap late when Andrew Allen scored with under five minutes remaining to keep the Bulldogs within reach.

Liberty-Benton quickly responded, however, as Lincoln Holler knocked down a corner 3-pointer to halt the rally.

The Eagles put an exclamation point on the night moments later when Luke Gerken finished with an emphatic dunk, energizing the Liberty-Benton bench and crowd.

Liberty-Benton’s defensive pressure and efficient perimeter shooting proved too much for Ada down the stretch, sealing the conference win and reinforcing the Eagles’ position near the top of the BVC standings.

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