The Bluffton boys basketball team avoided an upset bid by visiting backyard rival Allen East to win 60-56 and clinch the league crown in a Northwest Conference nailbiter Friday night, February 11. (Watch the game at https://youtu.be/Oyavo7c29UE) 

With the win, the Pirates clinched at least a share of the Northwest Conference title, their first in 22 years. Bluffton is 10-0 at home this season.

The Pirates improved to 17-2 and finished 7-1 in the NWC with the tense win. AE fell to 11-8 and 3-4 in the NWC after the loss.

Crestview is 6-1 in league play after a 55-39 win over arch-rival Lincolnview Friday. The Knights host Leipsic (13-6, 4-3 NW) in their league finale Feb. 18, and can tie for the league crown with a victory. 

Bluffton won at Crestview 49-48 January 7 to take the tie-breaker.

Bluffton trailed 15-13 after the first period as Clum scored seven early points for AE.

Seven points apiece from Trey Boblitt and Marek Donaldson in the second stanza put Bluffton ahead 29-22 at the half. 

AE rallied to tie the tight contest 41-41 after the third period as Mustang Keaton Miller drained seven big points. 

Cason Soper scored eight big points in the final period while Boblitt added five. The Pirates sank eight of 11 free throws in the final period to keep AE at bay.

Boblitt drained five triples to score a team-high 19 points. Soper and Donaldson each added 12 markers.

Keaton Miller topped AE with 19 points, eight of which came in the fourth period. Garrett Newland added 15 markers.

Bluffton sank 21 field goals, hitting 13 two-pointers while drilling eight treys. The Pirates converted 10 of 18 attempts at the charity stripe (56 percent).

The Mustangs canned 21 baskets. They made 17 two-pointers and hit on four triples, and converted shots 10 of 11 at the foul line (91 percent).

Bluffton committed only eight turnovers, while AE made just six miscues.

Bluffton 60 (17-2, 7-1 NWC)

Donley 2 1-2 6, Shutler 0, Kinn 1 2-4 4, Soper 4 4-4 12, Boblitt 7 0-0 19, Donaldson 4 3-5 12, Schaadt 2 0-2 5, Lovell 0, Lora 1 0-0 2, Ginther 0. 

Totals: 13-8/10-18/60. 3-pointers: Boblitt 5, Donley 1, Schaadt 1, Donaldson 1.

Allen East 56 (11-8, 3-4 NWC)

Clum 4 0-0 9, Newland 7 0-1 15, Hershberger 1 0-0 2, Lehman 2 3-3 8, Z. Miller 1 0-0 3, Young 0, Hutchinson 0, K. Miller 6 7-7 19.

Totals: 17-4/10-11/56. 3-pointers: Z. Miller 1, Newland 1, Clum 1, Lehman 1.

1 2 3 4 F

Blu 13 16 12 19 60

AE 15 7 19 15 56

Bluffton hosts Van Buren (7-13) in a non-league contest Tuesday, February 15.