By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - Host Bluffton shut out Paulding in the first period and went on to post a decisive 63-48 Northwest Conference boys basketball win Friday evening.

Bluffton led 10-0 after the first quarter and held a 26-17 halftime edge. The Pirates outscored the Panthers 37-31 in the second half.

Bluffton improved to 9-1 overall and 3-0 in the NWC with the win, while the Panthers fell to 2-8 and 1-2 in the NWC with the defeat.

Senior Mason Soper tallied a season-high 25 points behind four treys to lead the Pirates. Classmate Jared Piercefield netted 18 points with the aid of three triples.

Pirate senior Luke Denecker added 13 points.  

Panther Blake McGarvey led all scorers with 26 points.

Paulding has now lost five in a row and eight of their last nine games.

The Pirates connected on 19 baskets, with nine two-pointers and 10 three-pointers. Bluffton converted 15 of 24 from the charity stripe (63 percent). The winners committed 13 turnovers.

The Panthers made 17 field goals, including 14 deuces and three shots from three-point land. Paulding converted 11 of 14 at the charity stripe (79 percent).

Paulding 48 (2-8, 1-2 NWC)
McGarvey 8 7-8 26, Edwards 1 0-0 2, Kauser 0 3-4 3, Dysinger 1 0-1 2, Schroder 1 0-0 2, Price 1 0-0 2, Beckman 5 1-1 11.
Totals: 17/11-14/48. 3-pointers: McGarvey 3. 

Bluffton 63 (9-1, 3-0 NWC)
Schriner 0 0-1 0, Shutler 1 2-4 4, Soper 10 1-2 25, Piercefield 5 5-7 18, Denecker 2 7-8 13, Hohenbrink 1 0-0 3, Essinger 0 0-2 0. 
Totals: 19/15-24/63. 3-pointers: Soper 4, Piercefield 3, Denecker 2, Hohenbrink 1. 
 
    1    2    3    4    F
Pau    0    17    11    20    48
Blf    10    16    15    22    63