By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - Host Bluffton defeated non-conference foe Kenton convincingly 50-35 in girls basketball play Thursday evening.

Bluffton led 29-23 at halftime and outscored the Lady Wildcats 14-7 in the third period to build a 13-point lead. The Lady Pirates held Kenton to just 12 second-half points to win going away.

The Pirate girls improved to 9-1 overall with their ninth consecutive victory. Meanwhile, Kenton fell to 3-4 with the defeat.

CLICK HERE for game photos by Marvin Foster.

Senior post Libby Schaadt led the Pirate girls with 17 points, 13 of which came in the first half. 

Junior guard Laykin Garmatter tallied a dozen points with the aid of two treys. Sophomore Kylie Monday added nine markers and canned the other Pirate trifecta.

Junior Lindsey Smith led Kenton with 10 points, but no other Wildcat tallied more than six points. Kenton junior guards Jenna Manns and Laney Harpel each connected on two triples.

The Bluffton girls sank 15 baskets, including 12 two-pointers and three from three-point range. The Pirate girls canned 17 of 25 from the charity stripe (68 percent).

The Wildcat girls sank 14 field goals, five of which were three-point baskets. Kenton converted two of three at the foul line (67 percent). 

Kenton 35 (3-4)
Plott 1 0-0 3, Holland 2 0-0 4, Bays 0 2-2 2, Heilman 1 0-0 2, Harpel 2 0-0 6, Barrett 1 0-0 2, Smith 5 0-1 10, Manns 2 0-0 6.
Totals: 14/2-3/35. 3-pointers: Manns 2, Harpel 2, Plott 1.

Bluffton 50 (9-1)
B. Garmatter 0 2-2 2, L. Garmatter 4 2-4 12, White 1 3-4 5, Mittendorf 0, Stackhouse 1 3-4 5, Monday 2 4-7 9, Schaadt 7 3-4 17. Totals: 15/17-25/50. 3-pointers: L. Garmatter 2, Monday 1.
 
    1    2    3    4    F
Kent    10    13    7    5    35    
Bluf    18    11    14    7    50    

Bluffton (6-1 home) next hosts another WBL foe in county rival Elida (4-6) Saturday, January 4 with the JV game tipping off at 12 p.m. 

The Lady Pirates have not lost since a 37-30 defeat to Cory-Rawson in the season-opener November 22.