By Cort Reynolds

The Bluffton girls basketball team led by 11 at the half, but visiting Miller City outscored their hosts by 19 points after the break to pull out a 51-43 non-league win Thursday night, November 30.

The Pirates built a 28-17 cushion at intermission by outscoring the Wildcat girls 21-9 in the second stanza.

But a 15-5 MC third period turned the game around as they inched within 33-32. 

The Wildcats then outscored Bluffton 19-10 in the final quarter as senior Jordan Schnipke sank all six of her foul shot attempts. 

The Pirate girls fell to 1-2 with a second straight defeat, while MC improved to 1-1 after the win. 

Bluffton junior post Ayla Grandey netted 10 of her game-high 22 points in the big second period. She added eight markers in the final stanza, but the rest of the team managed just seven points in the second half.

Lady Pirate Macy Schaadt contributed two trifectas and eight points. Bluffton mustered just 15 points after intermission, while the Wildcats scored 34.

Schnipke led a balanced MC with 13 points. Senior Ava Ruck tallied 11, while Isabel Reyan netted nine. Chelsea Erford added seven markers. 

Ruck hit a trey and a deuce in the decisive fourth period.

The Wildcat girls canned 15 two-point goals and four triples. The Pirates made 10 two-pointers and drained four trifectas.

Bluffton shot 11 for 15 from the foul line (73 percent), led by Grandey’s perfect 9-9 charity stripe accuracy. 

MC converted nine of 11 free throws (82 percent).

Bluffton 43 (1-2)

Cross 1 0-0 2, Fleece 0 1-2 1, Dearth 0, Schweingruber 0, Warren 1 0-2 3, Schaadt 3 0-0 8, Utendorf 2 0-0 4, Bassett 1 1-2 3, Grandey 6 9-9 22. 

Totals: 10-4/11-15/43. 3-pointers: Grandey 1, Schaadt 2, Warren 1.

MC 51 (1-1)

C. Erford 3 0-0 7, Reyna 4 1-2 9, Warnimont 1 1-1 3, Ruck 5 0-0 11, Schnipke 3 7-8 13, Michel 1 0-0 2, Pfau 1 0-0 3, M. Erford 1 0-0 3.

Totals: 15-4/9-11/51. 3-pointers:  C. Erford 1, Ruck 1, Pfau 1, M. Erford 1.

1 2 3 4 F

Blf 7 21 5 10 43

MC 8 9 15 19 51

Bluffton plays its first road game at Defiance (0-2) Tuesday, December 5. The Pirates visit Lima Catholic Central Thursday, Dec. 7.

Bluffton then returns home to finish a busy week at home Saturday, Dec. 9 at noon vs. traditional power Ottoville (2-1).