Playing in Mt. Blanchard, the Bluffton High School boys basketball team crushed Riverdale 81-46 in a non-conference mismatch Saturday night, February 5.

The Pirates improved to 15-2 with the lopsided win. The Falcons fell to 4-13 with the defeat.

Trey Boblitt led the Pirates with 23 points on the strength of seven trifectas. Bluffton splashed 11 triples.

Trenton Donley contributed 18 markers while Marek Donaldson added 12.

Bluffton led 21-14 after the first period as Donley poured in 10 points. 

The Pirates stretched the lead to 21 by halftime with a 23-9 second stanza. Donaldson netted nine markers in the second period.

Boblitt buried four triples in the third quarter as the lead reached 27 heading to the final stanza.

Bluffton took the fourth period 16-8 to win by 35. 

Brayden Courtney led Riverdale with 19 markers.

Bluffton drained 31 field goals, hitting 20 two-pointers while drilling 11 treys. The Pirates converted eight of 11 attempts at the charity stripe (73 percent).

The Falcons canned 17 baskets. They sank 13 two-pointers and drained four triples, and converted  eight of 15 shots at the foul line (53 percent).

Bluffton committed only eight turnovers, while Riverdale was guilty of 10 miscues.

Bluffton 81 (15-2)

Donley 7 3-3 18, Shutler 0, Kinn 4 0-0 8, Soper 3 2-2 9, Boblitt 8 0-0 23, Ackerman 0 1-2 1, Donaldson 5 0-0 12, Schaadt 1 0-0 2, Lovell 1 2-2 4, Lora 1 0-0 2, Yoder 1 0-0 2. 

Totals: 20-11/8-11/81. 3-pointers: Boblitt 7, Donaldson 3, Donley 1.

Riverdale 46 (4-13)

Miller 5 0-0 11, Courtney 8 2-9 19, Morris 2 2-2 8, Young 1 0-0 2, Reiter 1 0-0 2, Dunbar 0 2-2 2, Holland 0 2-2 2.

Totals: 13-4/8-15/46. 3-pointers: Morris 2, Courtney 1, Miller 1.

1 2 3 4 F

Rdl 14 9 15 8 46

Blu 21 23 21 16 81

Bluffton hosts WBL and Allen County rival Elida (3-14) in another non-NWC bout Tuesday, Feb. 8.

Bluffton (6-1 NWC) then hosts local rival Allen East (11-6, 3-2 NWC) next Friday, February 11.

Pirates 3rd at sectionals

Bluffton was seeded third at the 13-team Div. III boys Lima district seedings Sunday.

The Pirates earned a first round bye, and will play the Feb. 22 winner between seventh-seeded Lima Bath (6-12) and 10th seed Paulding (6-13) on Friday, February 25 at 5:30 p.m. in Miller City.

The winner advances to the Lima Senior district March 3/5. If the seeds hold according to form, Bluffton would face Wayne Trace in the district semis.

Ottawa-Glandorf (15-2) was seeded first, and Wayne Trace (18-1) was tabbed second.

Liberty-Benton (14-4) was seeded fourth and Allen East (11-6) fifth.