Story by Cort Reynolds
Photos by Marvin Foster
BLUFFTON - Homestanding Bluffton led most of the game but lost to Spencerville 50-39 after a big Lady Bearcat fourth period comeback won a Northwest Conference girls basketball matchup Thursday night.

The Lady Pirates led 21-15 at halftime as Sami Scoles poured in 12 points. The hosts maintained a 33-30 edge after three periods. 

But Spencerville erupted for 20 fourth-quarter points and held Bluffton to just six to rally and win by 11.

Bearcat Gillian Goeke led all players with 20 points. Goeke netted 11 fourth-period points as she canned two triples and shot 5-5 from the foul line in the decisive quarter.

Teammate Emma Leis added 13 markers as she surpassed the career 1,000-point barrier. Leis scored seven points and also canned all five of her charity stripers in the final stanza.

The sharpshooting Bearcat girls sank 10 of 11 foul shots in the fourth quarter.

Bluffton's record dropped to 10-7 overall and 3-3 in the NWC (sixth place) with the tough loss that snapped a four-game win streak. 

Spencerville improved to 9-5 overall and 3-2 in the NWC. The Bearcat girls moved ahead of Bluffton into a fourth-place tie in the league standings with Columbus Grove after the comeback victory.

Scoles led Bluffton with 14 points, but was the only Pirate in double figures. Laykin Garmatter netted eight points and Kylie Monday added six.

The Pirate girls knocked down 13 baskets. They canned 10 two-pointers and drilled three triples. Bluffton converted 10 of 15 free throw attempts (67 percent). 

The Bearcat girls canned 14 field goals. They sank nine two-pointers and five three-pointers. Spencerville converted 17 of 26 foul shots (65 percent). 

They outscored the Pirate girls by seven points at the charity stripe, and by four from the field on the strength of two more trifectas.

Bluffton dropped to 6-3 at home this season with the defeat.

S'ville (9-5, 3-2 NWC)
G. Goeke 4 9-10 20, L. Goeke 4 0-0 9, Wurst 0 1-2 1, Croft 3 1-3 7, Staup 0 0-1 0, Keller 0 0-2 0, Leis 3 6-8 13. 
Totals: 9-5/17-26/50. 3-pointers: G. Goeke 3, L. Goeke 1.

Bluffton 39 (10-7, 3-3 NWC)
Garmatter 1 6-6 8, Busch 2 0-0 4, Eachus 1 0-0 3, Stackhouse 1 2-6 4, Bricker 0, Scoles 6 0-1 14, Hasting 0, Monday 2 2-2 6. 
Totals: 10-3/10-15/39. 3-pointers: Scoles 2, Eachus 1.     
 
    1    2    3    4    F
Svl    5    10    15    20    50     
Blf    7    14    12    6    39     

Bluffton (3-4 road) tries to get back on the winning track when they visit BVC foe Riverdale (5-8) Saturday afternoon, Jan. 23. The Lady Falcons lost to Arcadia 44-35 Thursday evening.

Crestview (5-1 NWC) is first in the conference standings, ahead of Delphos Jefferson (4-1) and Paulding (4-2).