Donaldson named MVP

By Cort Reynolds

Tournament host Bluffton defeated Arlington 63-51 in the finals of the annual Lewis Family McDonald's Holiday Classic boys basketball competition Friday night.

Pirate sophomore sniper Marek Donaldson scored 18 points in the victory and earned tournament MVP honors. He scored 44 points in the two-day tourney on the strength of 12 triples.

The Pirates led 13-11 after the first period as Wade Ginther scored eight points on four baskets. 

Bluffton won the second stanza 14-10 to maintain a lead of 27-21 at halftime.

The Pirates outscored the Red Devils 36-30 after intermission to win by a dozen. Donaldson canned three treys and a deuce in the third period to tally 11 of the 22 Pirate points in the stanza. 

Bluffton took a 49-39 lead into the final quarter, and held on for the 12-point win.

Bluffton improved its record to 5-3 with their fifth victory in a row. Arlington fell to 7-2 with the defeat.

Wade Ginther scored 12 points and Carson Soper tallied nine of his 13 markers in the second half to support Donaldson.  

Red Devil Caden Russell scored a team-high 12 points. Rylar Essinger added nine as only one Devil hit double figures.

Bluffton canned 25 field goals. Twenty of their baskets came inside the arc, while they splashed five three-point goals. 

Bluffton also converted eight of 13 attempts at the foul line (62 percent).

The Devils sank 20 shots from the field, hitting 14 two-point goals and six treys. Arlington converted just five of 11 shots from the charity stripe (45 percent). 

The Pirates committed 13 turnovers and helped force five Devil miscues.

Soper and Wade Ginther of Bluffton were also named to the six-player all-tournament squad.

Cory-Rawson defeated Continental 53-43 in the third-place game earlier on Friday night. Wilson Garmatter led the victorious Hornets with 23 points.

Garmatter was named to the all-tourney team, along with Red Devils Russell and Essinger.

Arlington 51 (7-2)

Jake Vermillion 3 0-0 8, Metzger 1 0-0 3, Russell 6 0-1 12, Kin 2 0-0 5, B. Griggs 3 1-2 7, J. Griggs 1 0-0 3, Essinger 3 2-4 9, Jase Vermillion 1 2-4 4.

Totals: 14-6/5-11/51. 3-pointers: Jk. Vermillion 2, Essinger 1, Metzger 1, J. Griggs 1, Kin 1.

Bluffton 63 (5-3)

Donaldson 6 2-2 18, L. Ginther 0, Soper 5 2-5 13, W. Ginther 6 0-2 12, Worcester 1 2-2 4, Boblitt 0 2-2 2, Lora 3 0-0 6, Yoder 3 0-0 6, Hilty 1 0-0 2. 

Totals: 20-5/8-13/63. 3-pointers: Donaldson 4, Soper 1.   

1 2 3 4 F

Arl 11 10 17 13 51

Bluf 13 14 22 14 63

The defending league champion Pirates (2-0 NWC) put their five-game win streak on the line when they host tough conference foe Crestview (6-1, 1-1 NWC) Friday, January 6. 

Bluffton then entertains winless Ft. Jennings (0-9) Saturday, Jan. 7.