Long-range bombing Bluffton boys upend Liberty Benton
By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - The host Bluffton boys basketball team raced to a big halftime lead and held off Liberty-Benton 79-67 to win their home opener Saturday night.
The Pirates led a high-scoring first half 49-33 at intermission as Carson Soper poured in 19 points on the strength of four three-pointers.
Trenton Donley also knocked down two triples in the opening stanza as the hot-shooting Pirates built a 27-11 lead. Donley added another triple in the second period, while Trey Boblitt also drained three trifectas before intermission.
L-B rallied with a 14-7 third period to pull within 56-47 heading to the final stanza. But Bluffton hit on eight of 12 free throws in the fourth period to win by a dozen. Overall, the victors sank 14 three-point goals.
Soper netted a career-high 27 points, while Josh Reindel led L-B with 24 points.
The Pirates evened their record at 1-1 with the win, while the Eagles fell to 1-1 with the defeat.
Bluffton canned 13 two-point baskets compared to 14 three-point goals. The Pirates converted 11 of 16 from the charity stripe (7=69 percent).
The Eagles sank 23 field goals, including seven three-point baskets. L-B hit on 14 of 16 the foul line (88 percent). L-B committed 11 turnovers, while Bluffton made 16 miscues.
Donley tossed in 19 points while Boblitt added 13 markers for Bluffton. Soper and Donley each drained five triples, while Boblitt sank four treys.
Alex Dillon tallied 12 points and Ben Spiess added 11 for the Eagles.
L-B 67 (1-1)
Reindel 7 8-9 24, Abbott 0 4-4 4, Doolittle 3 1-1 7, Spiess 4 1-2 11, Dillon 5 0-0 12, Rath 2 0-0 4, Gerken 2 0-0 5.
Totals: 16-7/14-16/67. 3-pointers: Reindel 2, Spiess 2, Dillon 2, Gerken 1.
Bluffton 79 (1-1)
Donley 6 2-2 19, T. Shutler 0, Kinn 3 1-2 7, Boblitt 4 1-2 13, Schaadt 3 1-3 7, Soper 8 6-6 27, Essinger 3 0-1 6.
Totals: 1/1/. 3-pointers: Soper 5, Donley 5, Boblitt 4.
1 2 3 4 F
L-B 11 22 14 20 67
Bluf 27 22 7 23 79
Bluffton visits Ada (0-4) in the Northwest Conference opener Friday, December 11. They then visit McComb (1-1) Dec. 12.
Stories Posted This Week
Saturday, August 2, 2025
Friday, August 1, 2025
Thursday, July 31, 2025
- Bluffton University names Dr. J. Alexander Sider as next President
- GLP-1s and weight loss: Impact on muscles
- Check out August 2025 at Bluffton Public Library
- Discovery Days prize drawing results, check your tickets
- Wesley “Wes” Allen Leightner worked for Phillips
- How floundering Cards should deal at deadline
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
- Letter: BOHS work night at the Depot, July 30
- County park district considers name change, invites feedback
- Teen vaccine clinic at Bluffton Middle School, August 18
- State of Ohio expands commercial truck parking at US 30 rest areas
- National Night Out celebration is August 5
- Bluffton council hears neighbor concerns about proposed school practice field
- GROB Systems to host 5-AXIS LIVE! with 21 industry partners on Aug. 5