By Cort Reynolds

HARROD–The visiting Bluffton High School boys basketball team rallied with a big fourth quarter to defeat backyard rival Allen East 61-54 in a Northwest Conference battle Friday, February 10.

Bluffton trailed AE 48-39 heading to the final period.

But the Pirates stunned AE with a 22-6 fourth quarter to pull out the seven-point win.

Carson Soper drained two triples and scored eight of his 10 points in the final period to lead the comeback.

AE led 31-29 at halftime as Mustang Keaton Lehman scored 13 points and playmaker Carson Clum added seven markers.

The Mustangs stretched their lead to nine with a 17-10 third period behind eight Clum points.

But Bluffton held AE to just three baskets in the final period to pull off the comeback win.

The Pirates outscored the Mustangs 32-23 in the second half.

Marek Donaldson drilled four triples to lead the Pirates with 14 points. 

John-Paul Yoder tallied a season-high 13 points. Wade Ginther and Landen Worcester each contributed eight markers.

With the road win, Bluffton improved to 11-8 overall and finished 6-2 in the NWC. The defending league champion Pirates are third in the nine-team league standings behind Spencerville (7-0) and Crestview (8-1).

AE dropped to 12-6 and 2-4 in the NWC (sixth) with the home defeat.

Lehman led AE with 19 points and three treys, while Clum netted 17 markers.

Bluffton connected on 23 field goals. The Pirates netted 15 baskets inside the arc and drained eight three-point goals. 

Bluffton converted seven of 11 attempts from the foul line (64 percent).

AE canned 24 shots from the field. The Mustangs splashed 20 two-point goals and drilled four treys. 

AE converted two of just four shots from the charity stripe (50 percent). 

The Pirates committed seven turnovers, and AE was guilty of only five miscues.  

AE 54 (12-6, 2-4 NWC)

Clum 8 1-1 17, Hershberger 3 0-0 6, Lehman 8 0-1 19, Shea 3 0-0 6, Hopkins 1 1-2 3, Young 1 0-0 3, Hensley 0 0-0 0. 

Totals: 20-4/2-4/54. 3-pointers: Lehman 3, Young 1.

Bluffton 61 (11-8. 6-2 NWC)

Donaldson 4 2-2 14, L. Ginther 0 0-0 0, Soper 4 0-0 10, W. Ginther 4 0-2 8, Worcester 3 2-2 8, Boblitt 2 0-0 5, Wright 1 0-0 3, Yoder 5 3-5 13, Hilty 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 15-8/7-11/61. 3-pointers: Donaldson 4, Boblitt 1, Soper 2, Wright 1.

1 2 3 4 F

AE 20 11 17 6 54

Bluf 13 16 10 22 61

Bluffton concludes a three-game week at home vs. Kenton (7-12) Saturday night, Feb. 11.

The Pirates were seeded sixth at the Div. III sectionals. On Wednesday, February 22 at 6 p.m. in the Elida Fieldhouse, they will play fifth seed Allen East in the first round in a quick turnaround rematch.

The winner advances to play the winner between seventh seed LCC and eighth seed Coldwater Friday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m.

Sectional winners move on to the Lima Senior district March 1.

Ottawa-Glandorf (15-3) is the top seed, with Spencerville second (16-2). Carey (15-3) is third and Liberty-Benton (17-2) fourth in the tough 13-team sectional.