By Cort Reynolds

The Bluffton High School boys basketball team built a 10-point halftime lead and rolled to a 76-58 win at Delphos Jefferson in the Northwest Conference opener Friday night, December 15.

Four Pirates scored in double figures to pace the victory. The well-balanced Pirates improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the NWC with the convincing win.

DJ fell to 1-3 overall and 0-1 in NWC play after the loss.

Bluffton led just 15-14 after the first period as Karder Agner scored 12 of the Wildcat points.Marek Donaldson splashed four triples in the second period to lead the Pirates to a 39-29 halftime lead.

Blake Sommers netted seven of his 17 points in the third quarter as the Pirates extended their lead to 57-42. Two Terron Boblitt treys in the final stanza helped the Pirates win by 18.

Donaldson drilled five trifectas to also score 17 points for the victors. Pirate Wade Ginther tallied 16 points, while Boblitt and Brody Sommers each netted 11 markers. Agner led all players with 30 points. The 6-4 junior scored 17 points in the first half and tallied 13 in the second half. Isaac Gallmeier added 11 markers.

The Pirates canned 24 deuces and splashed eight treys. Bluffton converted four of seven free throws (57 percent).

The Wildcats knocked down 18 two-point goal attempts and drained four trifectas. They made 10 of 17 foul shots (59 percent).

DJ committed 17 turnovers, while Bluffton was guilty of eight miscues.

        1       2       3       4       F

Blf     15      24      18      19      76

DJ      14      15      13      16      58

Bluffton 76 (3-1, 1-0 NWC)

Ginther 8 0-0 16, Donaldson 6 0-0 17, Blk. Sommers 8 0-0 17, Bro.

Sommers 5 1-3 11, Boblitt 4 1-2 11, Worcester 0, Wright 0, Yoder 1 2-2

4.

Totals: 1-5/-1/. 3-pointers: Bl. Sommers 1, Boblitt 1.

DJ 58 (1-3, 0-1 NWC)

Wiltsie 2 0-0 4, Gallmeier 3 3-4 11, Howell 2 0-0 6, Agner 12 6-9 30,

Petty 2 1-2 5, Houx 1 0-2 2. Totals: 18-4/10-17/58. 3-pointers: 

Gallmeier 2, Howell 2.

Bluffton was slated to play at McComb (1-2) Saturday in a non-league

bout. But the game was postponed and rescheduled for Saturday, January

27.