By Cort Reynolds

DEFIANCE__The Bluffton High School girls basketball team easily won a 50-27 non-league makeup battle vs. Defiance on Tuesday night, December 19.

Pirate junior post Ayla Grandey poured in 27 points to lead all players and equal the entire Bulldog output.

Bluffton improved to 3-4 with the win, while Defiance dropped to 0-9. The contest was postponed from December 5.

Grandey scored nine early points as Bluffton built a 12-9 edge after the opening stanza. The Pirates won the second stanza 17-8 to build a 29-17 cushion at intermission.  

The defense limited the Bulldogs to just four third-period points as Bluffton increased its lead to 38-21 heading to the fourth quarter.

Grandey tallied seven more points in the final stanza as they won going away, allowing Defiance just 10 second half points.

Pirate Macy Schaadt netted 10 markers with the aid of two second quarter triples.

Sophomore Isabella Rowlison led the Bulldogs with 12 points.

The struggling Defiance girls sank just five two-point goals and made four triples. The Pirates canned nine two-pointers and drained five trifectas.

Bluffton shot a strong 17 of 21 from the foul line (81 percent), led by 11 of 13 accuracy from Grandey. 

The Bulldogs converted a meager five of 18 free throws (28 percent).

Bluffton visits Van Buren (3-6) Thursday.

Bluffton 50  (3-4)

Fleece 0 2-2 2, Dearth 0 0-0 0, Schweingruber 0, Warren 1 0-0 3, Schaadt 3 2-2 10, Utendorf 1 2-4 4, Bassett 2 0-0 4, Grandey 7 11-13 27. 

Totals: 9-5/17-21/50. 3-pointers: Grandey 2, Schaadt 2, Warren 1.

Defiance (0-9)

Kroeckel  1 0-0 3, Keller 0, Rowlison 5 0-1 12, Leatherman 0, Siler 0 1-3 1 , Garcia 0 1-2 1, Fernandez 1 1-6 3, Rollins 1 2-6 5, Ramirez 1 0-0 2.

Totals: 5-4/5-18/27. 3-pointers:  Rowlison 2.

1 2 3 4 F

Blf 12 17 9 12 50

Def 9 8 4 6 27