By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - Homestanding Bluffton built a double-digit halftime lead and went on to post a 62-52 win over Riverdale in a non-conference boys basketball contest Saturday night. 

Four Pirates scored in double figures to spearhead a balanced offensive effort.

The Pirates led 19-13 after the first period as four players tallied at least four points each. Bluffton extended the advantage to 38-27 at intermission. 

The foes played to an almost even 25-24 second-half score.

Senior Nic Essinger scored 12 of his season-high 18 points in the first half to pace the victors. Trenton Donley contributed 14 markers, while Trey Boblitt and Carson Soper tallied 12 points apiece.

Soper netted nine of his dozen markers in the first half as the Pirates built an 11-point advantage.

Bluffton's record improved to 7-11 after the victory. Riverdale fell to 10-7 with the defeat.    

Jackson Clark led Riverdale with 14 points, while Isaac Holland tallied 11 markers.

The Pirates hit     16 shots from inside the arc, and drained eight bombs from three-point land. Bluffton converted six of 11 attempts (55 percent) from the charity stripe.  

Riverdale connected on 20 total baskets, four fewer than Bluffton. The Falcons also canned 16 two-point goals but sank four trifectas, half of the Pirate total of treys. 

They converted eight of 15 attempts from the charity stripe (53 percent).     

Bluffton was guilty of 19 turnovers, while the Falcons committed 16 errorss.

The Pirates are now 6-4 at home this season.
Riverdale 51 (10-7)
Clarke 0, Miller 2 2-4 6, Clark 6 0-2 14, Frey 5 2-2 13, N. Courtney 1 1-1 3, Kuenzli 1 0-0 3, Tayor 1 0-1 2, Holland 4 3-5 11.
Totals: 16-4/8-15/52. 3-pointers: Clark 2, Frey 1, Kuenzli 1.

Bluffton 62 (7-11)
Donley 5 0-0 14, T. Shutler 0, Kinn 0, Boblitt 3 4-4 12, Schaadt 3 0-5 6, Soper 5 0-0 12, Essinger 8 2-2 18.
Totals: 16-8/6-11/62. 3-pointers: Donley 4, Boblitt 2, Soper 2.

    1    2    3    4    F
Rdl    13    14    14    11    52
Blf    19    19    9    15    62        

Bluffton (1-7 road) plays at non-league foe Elida (2-14) Tuesday, Feb. 9.

Allen East

HARROD - Visiting Bluffton fell behind early and couldn't quite overcome the deficit to suffer a 75-68 loss at county rival Allen East in their annual Northwest Conference boys basketball rivalry game Friday night. 

AE led 21-11 after the first quarter, although Bluffton rallied within 31-29 by halftime as six Pirates scored in the second period. 

Each team scored 21 points in a high-scoring third stanza to set up a close final eight minutes.

The Mustangs then sank 11 of 14 free throws in the fourth period as they won the stanza 23-18 to hold off the Pirates.

AE converted 23 free throws in the game compared to 15 by Bluffton, an eight-point advantage at the charity stripe.

Pirate Trey Boblitt tallied 14 of his team-high 17 points in the fourth period to lead the Bluffton comeback effort. Meanwhile, teammate Trenton Donley contributed eight of his 16 markers in the third stanza.

Mustang senior Gabe Criblez topped all scorers with 28 points, 10 of which came in the final quarter. Junior teammate Garrett Newland poured in 25 points.

Bluffton's record dropped to 6-11 overall and 1-6 in the NWC as a result of the fourth defeat in their last five games. 

The Mustangs snapped a four-game losing skid with the win, and thus improved to 9-8 overall (2-4 NWC). 

Pirate Carson Soper netted 14 points, and senior Nic Essinger added eight markers. 

AE senior Bradden Crumrine added nine points, including four of four foul shooting in the final minutes. Mustang Keaton Miller added eight markers.

The Pirates hit 13 shots from inside the arc, and drained nine shots from three-point land. Bluffton converted 15 of 20 attempts (75 percent) from the charity stripe.  

AE connected on 24 total baskets, two more than Bluffton. The Mustangs canned 20 two-point goals and sank four trifectas. They converted 23 of 32 attempts from the charity stripe (72 percent).     
Bluffton was guilty of 15 turnovers, while the Mustangs committed 19 miscues.

The Pirates are now 1-7 on the road this season.

AE 75 (9-8, 2-4 NWC)
Crumrine 1 6-6 9, Newland 11 1-3 25, Criblez 9 10-13 28, K. Miller 2 3-4 8, Clum 0 1-2 1, Hershberger 1 2-4 4.
Totals: 20-4/23-32/75. 3-pointers: Newland 2, Crumrine 1, K. Miller 1.

Bluffton 68 (6-11, 1-5 NWC)
Donley 6 0-0 16, T. Shutler 1 2-2 4, Kinn 0, Boblitt 4 7-10 17, Schaadt 2 1-2 6, Soper 5 2-3 14, Essinger 3 2-2 8, Lora 1 1-1 3.
Totals: 13-9/15-20/68. 3-pointers: Donley 4, Boblitt 2, Soper 2, Schaadt 1.

    1    2    3    4    F
AE    21    10    21    23    75
Blf    11    18    21    18    68 

The Pirates (5-4 home) host Riverdale (10-6) Saturday night. Bluffton then plays at another non-league foe Elida (2-14) Tuesday, Feb. 9.