The Bluffton boys basketball team outscored visiting rival Ada 48-12 in the middle periods to win convincingly 75-37 in a Northwest Conference game Friday night, December 17.

Bluffton led just 18-17 after a high-scoring opening period, but broke the game open with a 28-point second quarter barrage. Trenton Donley poured in nine of his game-high 21 points in the second stanza. Bluffton won the third quarter 20-4 to build a commanding 36-point lead.

The Pirates improved to 4-1 and 2-0 in NWC play with the lopsided victory.

The Bulldogs dropped to 2-4 overall and 0-2 in the NWC with their third straight defeat. 

Nate Schaadt tallied 11 points for balanced Bluffton. Kaden Lora tallied 10 markers, while Kyler Kinn and Carson Soper each added nine. Marek Donaldson chipped in with seven points on the strength of two treys.

Hot-shooting Donley also netted nine points in the third quarter.

Ada senior Cayden Murphy led the Bulldogs with 19 points. Junior Carter Conley added eight markers with two triples. Ethan Murphy scored six points, all from the foul line without a miss.

Bluffton drilled 29 baskets, connecting on 23 two-pointers and six treys. They hit 11 of 19 free throw attempts (58 percent).

Ada canned 12 baskets, hitting 10 two-pointers and two triples. The Bulldogs converted 11 of 14 charity stripe attempts (79 percent).

Ada 37 (2-4, 0-2 NWC)

C. Murphy 7 5-6 19, Conley 3 0-0 8, Sutherly 0, Leal 1 0-0 2, Wall 1 0-0 2, Preston 0, E. Murphy 0 6-6 6, Hoffer 0 0-2 0.

Totals: 10-2/11-14/37. 3-pointers: Conley 2.

Bluffton 75 (4-1, 2-0 NWC)

Donley 9 1-1 21, Shutler 0 1-2 1, Soper 4 1-2 9, Kinn 4 1-3 9, Boblitt 1 0-0 3, Schaadt 5 0-1 11, Ackerman 1 0-0 2, Donaldson 2 1-2 7, Lora 3 4-6 10, Lovell 0 2-2 2. 

Totals: 23-6/11-19/75. 3-pointers: Donley 2, Donaldson 2, Boblitt 1, Schaadt 1.

1 2 3 4 F

Ada 17 8 4 8 37

Blu 18 28 20 9 75

Bluffton hosts Elmwood Wednesday, December 22 in non-league play. The Pirates then host the annual McDonald's Holiday tournament Dec. 29-30.