By Cort Reynolds
OTTAWA - Top-seeded host Ottawa-Glandorf fired in eight first-half three-pointers to build a 25-point intermisson lead and cruise to a 72-38 tournament win over Bluffton in Div. III boys basketball sectional final action Friday night. 

The 11th-seeded Pirates trailed 23-12 after a high-scoring opening stanza. O-G drilled five triples in the first seven minutes to create an early double-digit margin.

The Titans continued their hot shooting in the second period with a 21-7 run that extended the lead to 44-19 at intermission. O-G nailed eight of 12 three-point tries against the 2-3 Pirate zone in the first half.    

Red-hot O-G nailed its first seven shots of the second half, including four treys, to construct a 38-point cushion heading into the fourth quarter.     

After being outscored 22-9 in the third quarter, the visiting Pirates won the fourth period 10-6 as Trenton Donley scored eight points. 

O-G out-pointed the Pirates 43-16 over the middle quarters.

Bluffton finished its campaign 11-13 after the season-ending defeat. Ottawa-Glandorf improved to 16-4 with the lopsided victory, and advanced to the Lima Senior district semifinals vs. Coldwater March 4.

Titan senior Brennan Blevins nailed a trey to start the game ominously, but his launch was matched by a trifecta from Pirate Donley. Colin White hit a jumper, followed by another Blevins triple.

Carson Soper answered with a trey to pull Bluffton within 10-6. Owen Nichols, a 6-7 O-G senior, sank a jumper yet Nate Schaadt came off the bench to can a quick Pirate basket.

Carson Fuka drained a Titan trey, but Schaadt muscled his way inside for a deuce. Soper then drilled another triple. White scored again, followed by a corner trifecta from Eli Schmenk for a 23-12 bulge.

Nichols continued the onslaught by nailing a corner triple to open the second stanza. Pirate sophomore Trey Boblitt canned a pull-up jumper, and Schaadt posted up to score inside again and make it 26-16.

Will Kaufman converted a traditional three-point play off a good interior feed for O-G. Nichols scored in transition, then blocked a trey try. Nichols nailed a 10-foot turnaround shot to extend the lead to 33-16.

After another block Nichols splashed a triple while being fouled, and he completed the rare four-point play. White stretched the Titan run to 13-0 with a driving shot. Donley ended the spurt with a trifecta but by then O-G was in complete command.

Southpaw Schmenk drove and followed in his own blocked shot with a field goal. Blevins sank a left corner trey to provide the hosts with a 25-point cushion at halftime.

Nichols splashed his fourth trey to open the second half. Blevins then stole the ball at midcourt and drove in for a layup, prompting a Pirate timeout.

Donley nailed a trey from out top but Blevins answered with a three of his own. Carter Schimmoeller nailed a triple, followed by a pull-up shot from Donley. 

Nichols made another three-pointer to make O-G 7-7 shooting to start the third period, including four straight triples. With a 35-point Titan lead the tournament running clock rule was enacted.

Blevins converted two foul shots to extend the lead with 2:40 left in the third period. Kyler Kinn scored inside for Bluffton, followed by a Schaadt field goal off a turnover.

Titan reserve Landon Jordan canned a shot off a backdoor cut to make it 66-28 O-G after three periods. 

Titan senior backup Jaxon Buddelmeyer banked in a hook shot, then nailed a triple to open the final period. Donley answered with a three-pointer to stop the 7-0 run.

Donley drained another long trey to make it 72-34. Soper canned two foul shots, followed by a Donley deuce that ended the scoring this season for the Pirates.

Donley led Bluffton with 19 points on the strength of five trifectas. Schaadt scored eight points, and Soper added seven.

Nichols scored 22 points in less than three quarters of play with the aid of five triples. Blevins tossed in 16 markers on the strength of four treys. White added eight markers and two blocked shots.

In all, 11 of the 14 Titans who played scored. Nichols and Blevins combined to score 38 points, the same as Bluffton. Nichols made eight of his nine shot attempts, including 5-6 from beyond the arc.

The Pirates sank     nine shots from inside the arc, and drilled six baskets from three-point territory. Bluffton converted just two of six attempts (33 percent) from the charity stripe.  

The Titans connected on 27 total baskets, a dozen more than Bluffton made. O-G canned 14 two-point field goals and drained a devastating 13 three-point goals. 

O-G converted five of eight attempts from the charity stripe (63 percent).    

Bluffton committed 12 turnovers, while the Titans made eight errors.     

Seniors Nic Essinger and Tyson Shutler played their final game for the Pirates. 

Bluffton finished 3-9 on the road after the defeat. The Pirates were 8-4 at home this season. 

O-G also beat visiting Bluffton 63-50 January 2 in a game that was closer than the final score indicates. The sectional rematch was all Titans, however.

O-G 72 (16-4)
C. Schimmoeller 1 0-0 3, Blevins 5 2-2 16, Kuhlman 1 0-0 2, C. Fuka 1 0-0 3, Schmenk 2 0-0 5, Jordan 1 0-1 2, Kaufman 2 1-1 5, C. White 4 0-0 8, Balbaugh 0 1-2 1, Nichols 8 1-1 22, Maag 0, Buddelmeyer 2 0-0 5, T. Schimmoeller 0, Stechschulte 0 1-1 0.
Totals: 14-13/5-8/72. 3-pointers: Nichols 5, Blevins 4, Schmenk 1, C. Fuka 1, Schimmoeller 1, Buddelmeyer 1.

Bluffton 38 (11-13)
Donley 7 0-0 19, Shutler 0, Kinn 1 0-2 2, Boblitt 1 0-0 2, Schaadt 4 0-2 8, Soper 2 2-2 7, Essinger 0.
Totals: 9-6/2-6/38. 3-pointers: Donley 5, Soper 1. 

    1    2    3    4    F    
O-G    23    21    22    6    72
Blf    12    7    9    10    38