By Cort Reynolds
McCOMB - Visiting Bluffton raced to a 34-point halftime lead at winless McComb and cruised to a 73-31 non-conference boys basketball win Saturday night.

The Pirates improved to 4-0 with the victory, while the Panthers fell to 0-4 with the defeat.

Bluffton led 18-1 after one period of play and stretched the margin to 45-11 by halftime to put it out of reach.

Seniors Luke Denecker and Mason Soper each scored 13 first-half points to pace the Pirates to the blowout. Denecker ended up with 15 points, while Baylor Garmatter and Soper each tallied 13. Jared Piercefield added a dozen points.

The Panthers connected on jut nine shots from the field, including one triple. The hosts converted 12 of 19 from the charity stripe (63 percent). 

The Pirates sank 29 field goals, including six from three-point territory. Bluffton canned nine of 14 at the charity stripe (64 percent).

McComb 31 (0-4)
Stevens 1 2-2 4, Clark-Rader 1 0-0 2, Kreinbrink 0 4-6 4, Dishong 0 0-1 0, Sherrick 2 2-2 7, Glaser 2 1-2 5, Wasson 3 3-6 9.
Totals: 9/12-19/31. 3-pointers: Sherrick 1.

Bluffton 73 (4-0)
Deardorff 0, Schriner 3 0-2 6, Garmatter 5 2-3 13, Soper 6 0-0 13, Piercefield 5 1-1 12, Denecker 6 1-2 15, Essinger 1 0-0 2, Hohenbrink 1 4-5 7, Ault 1 1-1 3, Schaadt 1 0-0 2. 
Totals: 29/9-14/73. 3-pointers: Denecker 2, Soper 1, Piercefield 1, Hohenbrink 1, Garmatter 1.
 
    1    2    3    4    F
McC    1    10    7    13    31    
Blf    18    27    17    11    73

Bluffton (2-0 away) visits defending league and Div. IV state champion Crestview (1-4, 0-1 NWC) Friday, Dec. 20. The Pirates handed the Knights their lone loss in 29 games last season with a 43-41 upset in the conference opener.

The Knights went on to share the NWC title with Columbus Grove at 7-1. Yet they are off to a slow start this season under new head coach Doug Etzler. Their lone win came in overtime against Parkway, 63-56.

Crestview dropped its league opener at Grove, 47-23.