By Cort Reynolds

The visiting Bluffton High School girls basketball team methodically beat Kenton 50-40 in a non-conference battle Tuesday night, December 27.

Bluffton improved to 7-2 with their first road win in three tries this season. Kenton fell to 3-7 with the defeat.

The Pirates outscored the Wildcats 22-2 at the foul line.

Bluffton held a 15-13 edge after the first period, and increased its advantage slightly to 28-25 at halftime.

The Pirate girls maintained a three-point lead at 39-36 heading to the fourth quarter.

Bluffton then took the fourth quarter 11-4 to win by 10.

The Pirates tied it 8-8 on a driving layup by Sami Scoles. Ayla Grandey and Scoles each hit two free throws apiece to put Bluffton ahead. Kenton regained the lead 13-12 on a triple.

Scoles tied it on a technical foul shot, and Grandey nailed a foul line deuce just before the first period horn to give the Pirates a 15-13 lead.

Scoles rattled in a left side triple to tie it, 19-19. Her foul shots moments later gave Bluffton a 23-22 edge.

Two Ashley Fleece free tosses gave the Pirates a 28-23 advantage before a basket by Kenton just before halftime cut the margin to three.

Bluffton scored the first six points of the second half to build a nine-point lead early in the third period. A left side triple by Riley Eachus was followed by a trey from just beyond the top of the key from Grandey.

Grandey later bounced in a right side 11-footer to make it 39-34.

Two Grandey free throws opened the final stanza as Bluffton patiently probed the Kenton zone.

Grandey powered in a conventional three-point layup for a 44-38 cushion.

A steal and layup by Kenton cut the lead to four. But Scoles splashed two free throws to make it 46-40. The Wildcats stole the ball, but missed a crucial short banker. The long-armed Scoles blocked a three-point attempt, then grabbed a rebound off a missed trey and was fouled to stymie the Kenton threat.

Scoles knocked down both shots to provide a 48-40 lead. Scoles later added two more free throws in the final seconds to finish the scoring.

Senior playmaker Scoles scored 20 points on the strength of 13-17 foul shooting. She also grabbed eight rebounds and had one blocked shot with two assists.

Sophomore post Grandey contributed 14 points, 11 rebounds and four assists to go with two blocks.  

Eachus added eight points with two treys. She also pulled down six rebounds and made two steals.

Olivia Nolting led Kenton with 13 points, while Macee Heckathorn added 10 markers.

Neither team shot well from the field, but the foul line difference decided the outcome.

Bluffton canned 12 of 44 field goal tries (27 percent), sinking eight of 23 two-pointers and four of 21 treys. But the Pirates converted 22 of 27 free throw attempts (82 percent). 

Kenton sank just 16 of 61 field goal attempts (26 percent), canning 10 of 37 two-pointers and six of 24 shots from three-point territory. The Wildcats converted two of their mere five foul shots (40 percent).

The Pirates won the rebound battle, 41-35. The visitors made 11 turnovers compared to just six miscues by Kenton.

Kenton 40 (3-7)

Bostater 0-3 0-0 0, Wetherill 0-5 0-0 0, Harpel 1-8 0-0 3, Ray 1-3 1-2 3, Larrabee 2-7 1-3 5, Nolting 5-15 0-0 13, Heckathorn 4-12 0-0 10, Miller 3-8 0-0 6. 

Totals: 16-61/2-5/40. 3-pointers (6-24): Nolting 3-8, Heckathorn 2-7, Harpel 1-6, Bostater 0-1, Ray 0-2.

Bluffton 50 (7-2)

Mehaffie 2-5 1-1 5, Fleece 0-1 2-2 2, Eachus 3-9 0-0 8, Giesige 0-3 1-2 1, Scoles 3-13 13-17 20, Grandey 4-13 5-5 14. 

Totals: 12-44/22-27/50. 3-pointers (4-21): Eachus 2-7, Scoles 1-8, Grandey 1-2, Giesige 0-3, Mehaffie 0-1.

1 2 3 4 F

Ken 13 12 11 4 40

Bluf 15 13 11 11 50

Bluffton visits another Wildcat WBL foe in undefeated Bath (9-0) Thursday, Dec. 29.