Bluffton High School Boys Basketball

The visiting Bluffton boys held off a late rally to beat Fort Jennings 50-45 in a non-conference basketball battle Saturday night, January 8.

Bluffton held a slim 24-22 lead at halftime, but they extended the lead to 42-32 with a key 18-10 third period run.

FJ rallied with a 13-8 final stanza, but came up short as Bluffton canned eight of 12 foul shots down the final stretch.

Kyler Kinn led three Pirate players in double figures with 14 points. Trenton Donley scored 13, and Trey Boblitt added a dozen markers on four trifectas.

Jarron Swick topped FJ with 14 points. Jon Grote added eight.

Bluffton improved to 9-1 with their eighth straight victory. FJ fell to 2-10 with the loss, the eighth in their last nine outings.

Bluffton drilled 16 baskets, canning eight two-pointers and eight treys. The Pirates converted 10 of 15 at the charity stripe (67 percent).

The Musketeers connected on 17 baskets, hitting 14 two-pointers and three triples. FJ sank eight of nine at the foul line.

FJ 45 (2-10)

Trentman 2 3-3 7, Swick 6 0-0 14, Neidert 3 1-2 7, Howbert 2 0-0 5, Grote 2 4-4 8, Wurst 2 0-0 4.

4. Totals: 14-3/8-9/45. 3-pointers: Swick 2, Howbert 1.

Bluffton 50 (9-1)

Donley 4 2-2 13, Shutler 0, Soper 1 3-4 5, Kinn 5 4-7 14, Boblitt 4 0-0 12, Schaadt 0, Ackerman 0 1-2 1, Donaldson 2 0-0 5. 

Totals: 8-8/10-15/50. 3-pointers: Boblitt 4, Donley 3, Donaldson 1.

1 2 3 4 F

FtJ 11 11 10 13 45

Blu 13 11 18 8 50

League-leading Bluffton (3-0 NWC) hosts new Northwest Conference member Leipsic (6-3, 2-1 NWC) in a key battle Friday night, January 14. 

The Pirates then visit non-league foe Carey Jan. 15.

Bluffton High School Girls Basketball

The visiting Bluffton girls basketball team got off to a big early lead and easily defeated former league foe Paulding 52-25 Saturday afternoon, January 8.

Bluffton led 12-2 after the opening stanza and 20-8 at halftime, and never was seriously threatened. 

The Lady Pirates put the game out of reach with a 19-9 third quarter.

Freshman post Ayla Grandey topped Bluffton with 18 points.

Senior guard Sami Scoles scored nine points, and classmate Kylie Monday also netted nine.

Riley Eachus contributed seven markers, while Riley Busch tallied six.

The Lady Pirates improved to 10-3 with their sixth straight win. Paulding dropped to 2-8 with the lopsided loss.

The Pirate girls drained 22 field goals, including 18 two-pointers and four triples. They converted four of eight free throw attempts (50 percent).

The Lady Panthers sank 10 field goals, hitting nine two-pointers and one trifecta. Paulding converted four of its five free throw tries (80 percent).

Paulding 25 (2-8)

Schweller 2 1-2 5, Kauser 1 1-1 3, Pease 4 0-0 9, Bakle 0 2-2 2, Giesiege 3 0-0 6.

Totals: 9-1/4-5/25. 3-pointer: Pease 1.

Bluffton 52 (10-3)

Busch 3 0-0 6, Eachus 2 1-2 7, Giesige 1 1-1 3, Scoles 4 0-0 9, Monday 4 0-2 9, Grandey 8 2-3 18.

Totals: 18-4/4-8/52. 3-pointers: Eachus 2, Scoles 1, Monday 1. 

1 2 3 4 F

Pau 2 6 9 8 25

Bluf 12 8 19 13 52

Bluffton (2-1 NWC) puts its win streak on the line when they host WBL foe Elida (4-8) Tuesday, January 11. 

The Pirates then resume Northwest Conference play at first-year league member Leipsic (7-4, 1-3 NWC) Thursday, Jan. 13.