By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - Homestanding Bluffton fired in 51 points over the middle quarters to blow out McComb 79-55 in a non-league boys basketball makeup game Tuesday night.
Bluffton led 20-12 after the first period as five players scored, including three triples. But the Pirates blew it open with a 23-11 second stanza to lead by 20 at intermission. Nic Essinger netted four baskets in the quarter.
The Pirates pulled away further as they poured in 28 third quarter points. Trey Boblitt buried three of the team's five treys in the period as Bluffton nearly doubled up the Panthers, leading 71-36 heading to the final stanza.
McComb won the final period 19-8 to make the final margin of 24 look more respectable.
Bluffton's record improved to 6-8 overall after the convincing victory. McComb fell to 4-12 with the defeat.
Boblitt led all scorers with 21 points as he nailed six of the team's 11 triples. Senior Essinger contributed 16 points, and Trenton Donley added 14 markers.
Garrett Clark-Rader and Jared Dillon shared McComb scoring honors with 13 points apiece.
Nate Schaadt added eight points and Kyler Kinn netted seven for the Pirates.
Bluffton sank 19 two-point goals, and splashed 11 shots from three-point territory. The Pirates converted eight of 15 tries (53 percent) from the charity stripe.
McComb canned 19 baskets. The visitors knocked down 13 shots from three-point country, and connected on six two-point baskets. They converted 11 of 17 free throw attempts (65 percent).
Bluffton committed 11 turnovers, while the Panthers were guilty of a whopping 29 miscues.
McComb 55 (4-12)
Glaser 0 3-6 3, Clark-Rader 5 1-1 13, Wittenmeyer 1 2-2 4, Dishong 3 0-0 8, Sherick 2 0-0 6, Holman 2 0-0 4, Dillon 5 3-6 13, Escalante 1 0-0 2, Bormuth 0 2-2 2.
Totals: 13-6/11-17/55. 3-pointers: Sherick 2, Clark-Rader 2, Dishong 2.
Bluffton 79 (6-8)
Donley 5 2-2 14, T. Shutler 2 0-0 4, Kinn 3 0-0 7, Boblitt 7 1-1 21, Schaadt 3 1-2 8, Ackerman 0, Lovell 0 0-2 0, Soper 2 1-2 6, L. Shutler 0 1-2 1, Essinger 8 0-2 16, Coonfare 0 2-2 2, Lora 0.
Totals: 19-11/8-15/79. 3-pointers: Boblitt 6, Donley 2, Soper 1, Kinn 1, Schaadt 1.
1 2 3 4 F
McC 12 11 13 19 55
Blf 20 23 28 8 79
The Pirates (5-3 home) host two-time defending NWC champion Columbus Grove (8-1, 3-0 NWC) Friday, January 29.
