By Cort Reynolds

The visiting Bluffton High School girls basketball team led at the half but lost 45-37 at Lincolnview in a Northwest Conference contest Thursday evening, January 19.

The Lancers rallied with a 32-18 second half to complete their comeback from a six-point halftime deficit.

Bluffton fell to 11-6 overall and 1-4 in the NWC with the road defeat that dropped them into a tie for seventh place in the league. 

The Lancer girls improved to 9-8 overall and 2-3 in NWC play with the win. 

The Pirates led 7-5 after the opening stanza, and stretched the margin to 19-13 at halftime.

But the Lancers outscored the Pirates 16-9 in both of the last two quarters to win by eight. The hosts seized a 29-28 lead after three periods of play and extended it in the final stanza.

Guard Riley Eachus sank three trifectas to top Bluffton with 11 points and four steals.

Senior southpaw playmaker Sami Scoles tallied 10 points and dished out two assists while yanking down four caroms.

Sophomore post Grandey contributed seven markers and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.

Kendal Giesige also netted seven points and made two steals. 

Lancer Emerson Walker tallied a game-high 15 points on the strength of three treys.

Lancers Addysen Stevens and Carson Looser both contributed eight points and eight rebounds. Makayla Jackman netted nine markers.

The cold-shooting Pirates canned 13 of 48 shots from the field (27 percent), hitting just eight of 28 deuces (32 percent) and five of 20 shots from three-point territory (25 percent). 

Bluffton converted six of 11 free throws (55 percent). 

Lincolnview sank 14 of 43 field goal tries (33 percent), making nine of 27 two-pointers (33 percent) and five of 16 triple tries (31 percent). 

The Lancers converted 12 of 17 foul shots (71 percent) to outscore the Pirates by six at the charity stripe.

Lincolnview won the rebound battle, 35-30. Bluffton committed only eight turnovers to 10 miscues by the Lancers. The Pirates had 11 assists to six by the hosts.

Bluffton scored more points in the paint, 14-10.

Bluffton 37 (11-6, 1-4 NWC)

Mehaffie 0 0-0 0, Fleece 0 0-0 0, Eachus 4-10 0-0 11, Schweingruber 0, Giesige 2-8 1-2 7, Scoles 4-15 2-3 10, Grothause 0, Grandey 2-9 3-4 7, Utendorf 1-6 0-2 2. 

Totals: 13-48/6-11/37. 3-pointers (5-20): Eachus 3-8, Giesige 2-6.

Lincolnview 45 (9-8, 2-3 NWC) 

Price 0-1 1-2 1, Jackman 2-10 5-6 9, Breese 1-8 2-5 4, Walker 5-9 2-2 15, Stevens 3-9 0-0 8, Looser 3-6 2-2 8.

Totals: 14-43/12-17/45. 3-pointers (5-16): Walker 3-5, Stevens 2-5.

1 2 3 4 F

Lvw 5 8 16 16 45

Bluf 7 12 9 9 37

The Pirates play at Riverdale (5-10) Saturday afternoon in a non-league bout.

Bluffton hosts league foe Spencerville (8-8, 1-4 NWC) Thursday, Jan. 26. Both teams are tied for seventh in the conference standings, ahead of only Ada (0-5).